WATCH: Pressley Honors Celtics Great Jaylen Brown on House Floor

September 2, 2026 WATCH: Pressley Honors Celtics Great Jaylen Brown on House Floor “Thanks to the example, impact, and influence of this brilliant and proud Black man, the energy has shifted in Boston.” Pressley Led Congressional Resolutions Honoring Bill Russell and Congratulating Celtics on Banner 18 Video (YouTube) WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) delivered a floor speech in which she celebrated the contributions of NBA Finals MVP and former Celtics player Jaylen Brown, both on and off the court. Congresswoman Pressley recognized Brown for his fierce competitiveness on the court, impactful work to build wealth in communities of color, and for delivering Banner 18 to Boston. A transcript of the Congresswoman’s remarks is available below and the video is available here . Transcript: Pressley Honors Celtics Legend Jaylen Brown on House Floor U.S. House of Representatives September 2, 2026 Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the contributions of NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to the City of Boston, on and off the court. Born in Marietta, Georgia and drafted number 3 overall by the Celtics from the University of California Berkeley, Jaylen embraced our community and the City of Boston from the day he arrived in 2016. Fiercely competitive on the basketball court, never missing the playoffs in his ten seasons with the Celtics, he has been equally driven to uplift those around him through mentorship and his non-profit, Boston Xchange, which seeks to build wealth in communities of color, as well as his 7uice Foundation, connecting young people in and around Boston with opportunities. In 2022, just before the Celtics turned their season around and made it all the way to the NBA finals, Jaylen stated simply, “The energy is about to shift.” Well, Mr. Speaker, thanks to the example, impact, and influence of this brilliant and proud Black man, the energy has shifted in Boston. Jaylen delivered Banner 18—the most in NBA history. His legacy as an advocate, truth-teller, community builder, justice-seeker, and champion will endure. Job well done, Jaylen. We thank you. Your faith, consistency, and hard work has certainly paid off. I yield. — In June 2024, Congresswoman Pressley and Senator Ed Markey led the New England congressional delegation in introducing a congressional resolution recognizing and congratulating the Boston Celtics for winning their record-setting 18th NBA championship this week against the Dallas Mavericks. In September 2022, Rep. Pressley and Senator Markey led their colleagues in the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation in introducing a resolution honoring Boston Celtics legend William “Bill” Felton Russell. As a Boston City Councilor, Rep. Pressley led a resolution with Councilor John Connolly urging the City of Boston to commission the statue of Bill Russell that currently stands outside of Boston City Hall. The full text of their city council resolution is available here . ### Back to News Next Article Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email