In May 2021, Jaylen Brown faced a devastating blow: surgery for a torn ligament in his left wrist. Just a day later, social media lit up with photos of him dunking left-handed, sparking memes that haunted him for years. Brown missed Boston’s final 12 regular-season games and the playoffs that year, only to re-aggravate the injury in the 2022 postseason.

What began as a physical setback morphed into a psychological albatross—and prime fodder for Celtics fans’ relentless trolling. On Friday, after the Celtics’ win over the Toronto Raptors, Brown went through the minutiae of the past injury again.

“I tore all my ligaments in my wrist in 2021, and I’ve had some procedures and stuff post that… I’ve had some chips in my wrist over the last couple of years… I’ve had some issues,” Brown told reporters. “I don’t usually tell the media or the world about it, but I’ve had some issues with my left wrist. But I’ve always felt like my whole life I’ve been able to get to my off-hand. I’ve dunked on people with my left hand. You know, never had an issue.”

In November last year, he finally broke the silence on the ongoing joke. While he was livestreaming on his Twitch channel, FCHWPO, a fan asked him about the left-hand joke. He called out Celtics fans for trolling him, despite knowing that he had torn his wrist a few years ago. Detailing scar tissue and nerve hesitation that rewired his instincts.

Rehab experts note this is common—torn ligaments trigger subconscious guarding, dropping left-hand efficacy by up to 30% long-term without targeted therapy.

Yet Brown’s arc flipped the script. In the 2024 Finals, he embraced the left more aggressively (15% usage), erupting for Finals MVP honors with 20.8 PPG, while guarding Luka Doncic primarily.

While his left hand will never be the same, Brown is smart enough to let his game talk. Over the last few seasons, he has earned the respect of Celtics fans. A year after the blowout upset in Game 7, Brown was crowned the NBA Finals MVP in the 4-1 title win against the Dallas Mavericks.

This season, while the Celtics were counted out without Jayson Tatum, Brown leveled up his game for a breakout year, carrying his team to the second spot in the East.

Give credit to Jaylen Brown; he has stepped up in Jayson Tatum’s absence

Billy Donovan’s MVP shoutout to Brown perfectly summed up the Celtics’ star’s 2025-26 season. Before the Bulls game, he had a 50-point game in a win against the sizzling-hot LA Clippers. If there was any doubt left that Brown was worth every penny or perhaps more, this season had put that skepticism to rest. With Tatum out, Brown’s offensive game is shining really bright.

In his 10th year, he is having a career year, recording better numbers in all major categories. He is averaging 29.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 50.1% from the field and 37.2% from the 3-point line.

As the Celtics sit in 2nd position behind Detroit, Brown had the most to do with the success. So far into the season, he has had a total of seventeen 30-point, three 40-point and a 50-point game.

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Brown’s rise is not sudden; he has always been a capable player and a leader who has loved and had a thirst for challenges. However, he has played in Jayson Tatum’s shadows.

He has always been capable of elevating his game; this season, he just had the urgency. Neither Brown is winning the MVP, nor are the Celtics winning the chip this year. However, Celtics fans have to celebrate his remarkable season while mocking his left hand.