BERKELEY – California men's basketball alumnus Jaylen Brown was named the 2024 Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player on Monday night after helping the Boston Celtics defeat the Dallas Mavericks in five games to claim the franchise's record-18th NBA Championship.
 
Brown scored 21 points – including 15 in the first half – and added eight rebounds and six assists in the series-clinching win on Monday. The Cal product and Marietta, Georgia, native averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals in the finals while shooting 44% from the field. His best performance in the finals came in Game 3 when he amassed 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. He led Boston with 22 points and added three blocks and three steals in a Game 1 victory.
 
Brown is the first Golden Bear to win the NBA Finals MVP award.

#NBAFinals MVP.
Champion.
Energy shifter.
Golden Bear.#GoBears pic.twitter.com/pNqplj3A5u

— Cal Basketball (@CalMBBall) June 18, 2024

 

"It was a full team effort," Brown said after receiving the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP trophy. "I share this with my brothers and my partner in crime Jayson Tatum. He was with me the whole way. I've been grateful for every moment, every opportunity. I never hung my head."
 
Brown was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and an All-Pac-12 First Team selection in his lone season with the Golden Bears in 2015-16. He was then selected by the Celtics with the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Brown was an All-NBA Second Team selection in 2023 and has been named an NBA All-Star three times in his eight-year professional career.
 
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