Jaylen Brown Wants To Use Record Contract To Affect Social Change In Boston

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Miami Heat v Boston Celtics - Game Seven
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 29: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics speaks during a press conference after the Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics 103-84 in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 29, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Brown wants to "bring Black Wall Street to Boston" among other goals.

Earlier this week, Jaylen Brown signed the richest deal in NBA history. The 26-year-old signed a five-year, $305 million deal that will keep him in Boston until 2029. The contract eclipses the previous record, set by Nikola Jokic's $270 million deal signed in 2022. If the Celtics can sign Jayson Tatum to a deal next year, which will likely break the record again, they will have their championship-caliber tandem for the rest of the decade.

Brown is coming off a career year with personal bests in points and rebounds per game. His 26.6 points per game were best for 9th in the entire NBA. However, it's not all about basketball for Brown. In his first interview since signing the contract, he made it clear what he intends to do with his record-setting payday.

Brown Wants To Address Wealth Inequality

"I want to bring Black Wall Street here, to Boston," Brown began. "I want to attack wealth disparity. There's analytics that support stimulating the wealth gap could be better for the entire economy. With the biggest financial deal in NBA history, it makes sense to talk about one, your investment in communities but two also, the wealth disparity here that nobody wants to talk about. It's something that we can all improve on. I think through my platform, through influential partners, through elected leaders and government officials, we can come together and create new jobs, new resources, new businesses, new ideas. That can highlight minorities but also stimulate the wealth gap and economy at the same time.

According to the mayoral campaign of Michelle Wu, who won election to the vacant Boston mayoral seat in 2022, wealth disparity is a major issue in the city. The median net worth of a white family is nearly $250,000. The median net worth of a Black family is $8. Furthermore, a 2022 study shows that 24% of Massachusetts Latinos live in poverty. This is coupled with issues like an exponentially rising cost of living. For example, the average rent for the city of Boston is over $3000. However, with passionate voices like Brown's, maybe some tangible change can actually come to the city.

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About The Author
Benjamin Mock (they/them) is a sports and culture writer working out of Philadelphia. Previously writing for the likes of Fixture, Dexerto, Fragster, and Jaxon, Ben has dedicated themselves to engaging and accessible articles about sports, esports, and internet culture. With a love for the weirder stories, you never quite know what to expect from their work.
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