☘️ Jaylen Brown's new kicks

Good Morning, Boston.

🤨 Rob Gronkowski apparently didn’t learn Jacoby Brissett’s name. The former Patriots tight end kept mispronouncing “Brissett” as if it rhymed with “brisket” during the Patriots-49ers halftime show — despite them being teammates for a year in New England. Maybe he was just hungry or something?

What’s on tap today:

• Drake Maye draws closer

• Brady chirps back at Baker

• Two Sox legends leave the game

Let’s get into it…

LEADING OFF

Brown bucks the trend

Jaylen Brown’s star has never been brighter. All-Star. NBA Champion and Finals MVP. Now, Brown is adding “brand creator” to his stellar 2024 portfolio. The Celtics star announced last week that he’s started his own performance company, 741 — which includes a signature shoe line called “Rover” that he debuted at Cs training camp practices.

… And he’s still daring to be different. 741 is more than just an apparel company to Brown: “It’s a statement about independence, creativity, and ownership,” he told reporters. Brown also said he was inspired by the late Kobe Bryant, who had dreams of starting his own shoe company independent of Nike before his passing in 2020. So even though Brown quipped to reporters that he launched the brand out of “boredom” and a desire to see a fresh perspective in the performance market, there’s more to his game than that.

Brown’s move shakes up the game. The bond between pro athletes — especially basketball players — and apparel brands is a tale as old as time. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird headlined Converse in their day. Nike had Michael Jordan and eventually kicked off the signature Jordan Brand, which Brown’s teammate Jayson Tatum is part of. Brown himself was signed to Adidas until 2021. But Brown chose to turn down $50 million in endorsements and stay independent while Nike plasters Tatum on every basketball-related commercial they run.

His gamble will leave a legacy … Brown’s taking a risk coming out with his own shoe, even though he’s more popular than ever. But making money isn’t his only goal. Brown’s trail-blazing efforts will show later generations of athletes that it’s possible to chart their own path, keep more equity for themselves and re-invest that capital their way. Brown has already shown his commitment to the community, with the 7uice Foundation and Boston XChange creating new opportunities for people of color in the city.

… And now is the right time to make it. The 27-year-old Brown hasn’t rested on his laurels this offseason, coming into camp with a muscle-bound physique like Bane from “The Dark Knight Rises” in anticipation of another deep postseason run.  His new shoes will definitely get a lot of primetime exposure this season as Brown intends to showcase its different iterations all year. If he can help the Celtics repeat as champions in 2025, he’ll catapult himself into true superstar discussions, which could make his latest bet pay off even bigger.

POLL

🤔 Would you buy Jaylen Brown’s new shoes?

BOSTON SPORTS

Quick hits & headlines

👀 The “Mayewatch” might be over soon. Drake Maye’s highly anticipated debut as a starter feels inevitable after both coaches and reporters shared glowing reviews about the rookie’s progress leading up to the 49ers’ game on Sunday. Starter Jacoby Brissett has fought admirably, but the Patriots still have the worst passing offense in football. (Brissett’s ugly pick-six in the loss to San Francisco doesn’t help matters.) Though NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport pumped the brakes on Maye taking over next week against Miami, get ready for the QB switch to happen soon.

😤 BC does it again. The Eagles pulled out more late-game heroics at home this week, knocking off Western Kentucky behind backup QB Grayson James’ late touchdown pass to improve to a surprising 4-1 to start the year. The 13-point deficit BC overcame marked the biggest fourth-quarter comeback victory in program history. What looked like a trap game turned into a statement: these birds never surrender in a fight. Next week’s road matchup with 3-1 Virginia should be another thriller.

👋🏽 Red Sox’s season ends. What a perfect way for one of the most average teams in the league to finish their season: with an 81-81 record. The Sox overachieved in the first half and made us hope for the playoffs, then fell apart down the stretch to miss the postseason by five games. But on the bright side: they didn’t finish in last place. Baby steps! Get this team some pitching, and next year could be different.

BEYOND BOSTON

Out-of-town report

Knicks trade for Karl-Anthony Towns. New York reportedly will swap Julius Randle to grab Towns, who helped lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals in 2024. But as good as the dynamic center is at shooting the three ball and defending the rim, the Celtics are still the better team.

Tom Brady claps back at Baker Mayfield. Brady had the perfect response to Mayfield’s criticisms about the GOAT’s “stressful” environment: “I thought stressful was not having Super Bowl rings … If I wanted to have fun, I was going to go to Disneyland with my kids." And he did it while calling the Bucs’ win over the Eagles. If you come at the king, you’d best not miss.

Ryan Williams embarrasses the Georgia Bulldogs. The 17-year-old Alabama receiver juked these two ‘Dawgs defenders so hard, they hugged each other mid-play. Not even a Madden Create-A-Player can do this. Patriots scouts, take notes.

LAST CALL

Hard pass on Brandon Aiyuk

The Pats dodged a bullet with Brandon Aiyuk. 49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan called Aiyuk out during Friday’s practice for a uniform violation, and the receiver barked back in front of the team. That wouldn’t play in New England. Plus, Aiyuk’s subpar production (13 catches for 167 yards in four games) wouldn’t transform the Patriots’ offense anyway. His 49ers beat the Patriots Sunday, but his unwillingness to come to Foxborough may end up being a blessing in disguise.

THE BEST THING I SAW IN SPORTS

A Red Sox legend says goodbye

🥹 Red Sox honor Joe Castiglione in last game. The voice of the Red Sox tossed out the ceremonial first pitch before his final sign-off from the Sox’s radio booth. He even picked former Sox centerfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to receive it because, according to Castiglione, “Jackie catches everything.” Even better: the Sox won the game 3-1. All we can say after 42 years is … can you believe it?

🗞That’s a wrap. I’ll be combing through this list of Castiglione’s greatest calls.

☀️ We asked, you answered: 78% of you who responded on Friday said you were happy to see the Connecticut Sun down Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. The Sun will gun for a title shot against the unstoppable Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Wild in the WNBA semi-finals this week.

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