BOSTON — On Sunday, with the Celtics in Washington DC to face the Wizards, Jaylen Brown’s mom was the sufferer of a house break-in. On that very same day, assistant coach Amile Jefferson’s house was additionally damaged into — and his 2024 NBA championship ring was stolen.
Gamers made clear the incidents, and their aftermath, have taken a psychological toll. Brown missed observe on Tuesday to spend time together with his mother, and after Thursday’s uncharacteristic Celtics’ loss to the Bulls, he admitted it had been an emotionally difficult couple of days.
“It’s been a troublesome week,” Brown stated. “Clearly, my mom’s safety is of utmost significance to me, and that’s been compromised — so it’s been a troublesome week. We’ve had media members and reporters exterior our home attempting to get an inside scoop. Like, have some respect.”
Jaylen Brown on the break-in his mom skilled this week:
“We have had media members and reporters exterior our home attempting to get the within scoop. Like, have some respect. It’s been a troublesome week.” pic.twitter.com/6cl7GsphKJ
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) December 20, 2024
Brown acknowledged that his mom — who was within the house on the time of the break-in — was bodily unhurt and that nothing instantly threatening occurred.
“However the truth that it may have simply form of lingers in your thoughts,” he stated.
The incidents are the most recent in a string of burglaries that high-profile athletes throughout the nation have confronted — a rising listing contains Bucks ahead Bobby Portis, Timberwolves guard Mike Conley, Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, and Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
The elevated crimes led the NFL and NBA to each share memos with gamers about taking security precautions, with the FBI connecting some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Teams” which can be “reportedly well-organized, subtle rings that incorporate superior strategies and applied sciences, together with pre-surveillance, drones, and sign jamming units” per the Related Press.
The memo stated the burglars are principally after “money and objects that may be resold on the black market, corresponding to jewellery, watches, and luxurious luggage.”
Whereas nothing was taken out of Brown’s mom’s house, in Amile Jefferson’s case, the profitable championship ring was stolen.
Earlier than the sport, Joe Mazzulla stated the Celtics had been working to psychologically assist all affected events, in addition to to coach gamers and workers about precautionary steps they’ll take.
“Clearly when one thing like that occurs, you’re far more heightened to the notice,” Mazzulla stated. “So simply being educated on all of the small steps you may take. A whole lot of it’s out of your management, however there are issues that you are able to do.
“Whether or not it’s been our entrance workplace, whether or not it’s been the safety group, whether or not it’s been native police departments, they’ve achieved a superb job educating us on how we are able to get higher. However crucial factor is ensuring the households and other people concerned are as snug and secure as they are often, and never simply secure from the standpoint of their houses, however psychologically as properly.”
Mazzulla stated the unlucky incidents created an opportunity for him and the group to exhibit assist and solidarity on a human stage.
“When you could have alternatives like this to make issues larger than basketball, to be there for folks, you attempt to benefit from that,” Mazzulla stated. “I simply hope that they know that we’re there for them.”
Joe Mazzulla on Celtics’ assist for Jaylen Brown and Amile by the break-ins:
“When you could have alternatives like this to make issues larger than basketball, to be there for folks, you attempt to benefit from that. I simply hope that they know that we’re there for them.” pic.twitter.com/AeMcomIbWp
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) December 19, 2024
“They’re wholesome, which is nice, so that they’re secure,” Mazzulla stated. “It’s a scary factor for folks. You see it occur round completely different sports activities, so that you’re clearly conscious of it. If it occurs to you, you could have an understanding of the chance there. We’re simply glad that they’re secure.”
Jayson Tatum reiterated that the entire expertise served as a reminder that basketball is secondary to household and life.
“It actually places issues in perspective,” Tatum stated. “Clearly, all people’s household is most essential, extra essential than any sport that we’ll play. So I can solely think about how powerful that’s to have it in your thoughts and nonetheless attempt to come out right here and do your job at a excessive stage. Simply being there for him in any method that we are able to and realizing that we’re all on this collectively.”
Brown made clear the incident had shifted his perspective, however declined to elaborate on what he meant.
“To undergo that have and other people nonetheless in there, nonetheless within the crib and stuff like that, it simply makes you concentrate on some issues otherwise,” Brown stated.
