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 apply on Tuesday to spend time along 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 outdoors 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 outdoors 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 immediately threatening occurred.
“However the truth that it may have simply type of lingers in your thoughts,” he stated.
The incidents are the newest in a string of burglaries that high-profile athletes throughout the nation have confronted — a rising record 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 methods and applied sciences, together with pre-surveillance, drones, and sign jamming units” per the Related Press.
The memo stated the burglars are largely after “money and objects that may be resold on the black market, corresponding to jewellery, watches, and luxurious baggage.”
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 have been working to psychologically assist all affected events, in addition to to teach gamers and workers about precautionary steps they will 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. Loads 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 staff, whether or not it’s been native police departments, they’ve performed a great job educating us on how we are able to get higher. However a very powerful factor is ensuring the households and folks concerned are as comfy and protected as they are often, and never simply protected from the standpoint of their houses, however psychologically as properly.”
Mazzulla stated the unlucky incidents created an opportunity for him and the group to display assist and solidarity on a human stage.
“When you may have alternatives like this to make issues larger than basketball, to be there for folks, you attempt to make the most of 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 via the break-ins:
“When you may have alternatives like this to make issues larger than basketball, to be there for folks, you attempt to make the most of 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 sweet, so that they’re protected,” 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 may have an understanding of the danger there. We’re simply comfortable that they’re protected.”
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 recreation that we’ll play. So I can solely think about how robust 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 means that we are able to and understanding 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 folks nonetheless in there, nonetheless within the crib and stuff like that, it simply makes you consider some issues in a different way,” Brown stated.
