When an athlete in any sport makes their way through the ranks of high school, AAU, college, and all the way to the pro level, their image grows along with them. What an image can do to an athlete can change depending on their mentality or personality. It can develop through how that person acts on the biggest stage toward their teammates or their coaches, or how that person approaches the media, and what they do when their name is dragged through the mud. Along with their character, it is what that athlete does when they aren’t playing that makes their name known outside of being a normal, everyday athlete that many kids and adults watch on a nightly basis.
Jaylen Brown has made a name for himself both as a champion and finals MVP. With his NBA accomplishments, Brown has started his own foundation – titled the 7uice Foundation – which focuses on rebuilding the broken bridges between educational opportunity, providing access to health and wellness, and creating socio and economic opportunity for marginalized groups of people. Brown has always wanted to make a difference in his circle and his community. With him going through the motions of high school and college, he now begins his chance of changing the world.
Brown began his rise through the ranks of basketball in 2015 as his high school’s team, Wheeler High School, proceeded to have a 29-5 record in his junior year and a 30-3 record in his senior year. Brown had to face some future NBA players to lead his squad to the 6A state champions in the 2014-15 season. His competition consisted of 1st overall pick in 2016 Ben Simmons, and 2017 draftees Harry Giles and Malik Monk.
As a 5-star recruit and a member of the McDonald’s All-American team, Brown had committed to play for the University of California, Berkeley for both his athletic ability and astonishing intelligence, as Brown was known as one of the smartest players in his freshman class. The University of Cal Berkley is known for their high-status in education along with a great athletic program. Through his freshman season at Cal, where he was awarded the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, his draft stock began to rise higher and higher as draft day approached. On June 23, 2016, Jaylen Brown was drafted 3rd overall by the Boston Celtics.
Brown established his 7uice foundation in 2019, when he started to hone his skills and learned how to play at an all-star level in the NBA. The 7uice Foundation believes in giving an opportunity to those who were hindered or have struggled with systemic racism. They have partnered with The Bridge Program to give kids, in grades 8-12, affected by systemic racism, a proper opportunity and offer them a leadership initiative to show their true academic potential. Their brand has raised over $230,000 in donations to their cause and has started their own clothing line where 100% of all money going towards the purchase is funneled into the foundation.
Brown’s passion and motivation to be the best possible athlete and activist has granted him the opportunity to be known as someone who has an image that exceeds being a basketball player. He is a person who has ascended to someone the average kid or adult can look up to to make a difference: someone who can be there to stand up to something they know is wrong, someone whose image has grown through his young age to being someone greater.
What he and his team of partners accomplished has been the right step to end the threat of racism in America. Brown’s actions will lead the way for other premier athletes and other global figures to fight for anything that they see as a problem in our country or another. Just last year, Brown was named to the Time 100 Next List of rising stars making a difference for his activism, community building, and helping people. His image has spread farther than anything he had thought of before, and now he has the chance to make a true difference.
