In a recent appearance on the show "Hot Ones," host Sean Evans asked Jaylen Brown about his "Welcome to the NBA" moment.
While players typically respond to such an inquiry with tales of getting dunked on or struggling to guard the opposition, Brown's answer stems from an off-court development.
"When that first check hits your bank account," said Brown, then letting out a laugh after. "That was my welcome. I told them to mail it to me so I could feel it and touch it. I wanted to see my first check. I wanted to feel it in my hands.
"The first check that I got was like $182,000 or something like that. I remember seeing that as an 18-year-old, coming from a single-parent household, and I see $180,000 hit in the first check, I was like, 'alright, welcome to the NBA.'"
The 2024 NBA Finals MVP has since gone on to sign what was the most lucrative player contract in NBA history, a $285 million veteran supermax extension. Only teammate Jayson Tatum, who landed a five-year supermax extension this summer worth an estimated $314 million, has surpassed Brown's deal with the Celtics.
Tatum now aims to follow up signing his supermax extension the same way Brown did.
