Boston Celtics Star Named One of NBA's Most Overrated Players

Jaylen Brown's stellar season has drawn criticism from some analysts.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 3:03am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a basketball game or match, with the players' forms broken down into abstract shapes and planes of color, reflecting the analytical debate around Jaylen Brown's impact on the Celtics.A cubist interpretation of the ongoing debate around Jaylen Brown's true value to the Boston Celtics.Boston Today

Despite leading the Boston Celtics to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference and receiving MVP consideration, Celtics star Jaylen Brown has been named one of the most overrated players in the NBA this season by Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey. Bailey argues that Brown's advanced stats and net rating do not match the hype around his MVP-caliber campaign.

Why it matters

As one of the Celtics' top players, Brown's perceived overrated status could impact his reputation, future contract negotiations, and the team's overall perception heading into the playoffs.

The details

According to Bailey's analysis, Brown ranks 29th in estimated wins, has been one of the least efficient shooters in the NBA, and has a negative net rating swing, meaning the Celtics perform better when he's off the court. This contrasts with the widespread media campaign pushing Brown as an MVP candidate.

  • The article was published on April 11, 2026.

The players

Jaylen Brown

A star forward for the Boston Celtics who has been having a standout season, leading the team to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference despite the absence of fellow star Jayson Tatum for much of the year.

Jayson Tatum

The other star forward for the Boston Celtics who missed a significant portion of the season due to injury.

Andy Bailey

A writer for Bleacher Report who named Jaylen Brown one of the most overrated players in the NBA this season.

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What they’re saying

“Jaylen Brown is likely to make First Team All-NBA, and his Boston Celtics have annihilated expectations. But media members (with votes!) have campaigned for him to be the MVP, which is frankly, bonkers.”

— Andy Bailey, Bleacher Report Writer

“Brown is 29th in estimated wins (the cumulative version of Dunks and Threes' estimated plus-minus), has been one of the very least efficient shooters in the NBA and has a negative net rating swing (meaning Boston's point differential is actually better when he's out of the game).”

— Andy Bailey, Bleacher Report Writer

What’s next

The Celtics will look to prove the critics wrong as they head into the NBA playoffs, where Brown's performance and the team's success will be closely watched.

The takeaway

This debate over Jaylen Brown's perceived overrated status highlights the ongoing tension between advanced analytics and traditional media narratives when it comes to evaluating NBA player performance and value.