Morning Sports Update

Brad Stevens discussed Celtics’ ownership change, Jaylen Brown’s omission from Team USA

"I know he’s going to be motivated and hungry regardless," Stevens said of Jaylen Brown.

Brad Stevens
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens after the recent championship win. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff

By Hayden Bird

Brad Stevens on Celtics ownership change, Team USA Celtics selection: In the afterglow of a championship, Celtics president of basketball operations is already looking to the future.

Speaking to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe during a recent Celtics summer league game, Stevens discussed several topics, including the recent news of majority owner Wyc Grousbeck’s intention to sell his stake in the team.

“I learned not long before everybody else did that [that] was going to happen,” Stevens told Washburn. “I obviously am very thankful for Wyc and his family and everything that they’ve done. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens from here.”

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Stevens added that he isn’t focused on it, as it doesn’t have an immediate impact on the team’s basketball operations.

“I don’t want to get too far into the weeds of it all but how does it affect us?” Stevens asked. “It doesn’t really right now. From the standpoint of the corporate side or basketball operations we’re just head down, doing what we think is best for the now of the Celtics and the future of the Celtics. We’re lucky we [have] a good team.”

One of the other summer subplots for Boston has been the selections (or omission) of Team USA ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Jaylen Brown, Boston’s NBA Finals MVP, was notably left off the roster. Even after the team announced it was replacing Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Brown wasn’t picked. Instead, the honor went to his Celtics teammate, Derrick White.

“Jaylen’s a great player,” Stevens said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt that Jaylen could be on any team, could be on any Olympic team in any year. But at the end of the day, his approach, he talked about how he called Derrick and he talked about his own feelings from it.

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“I know this about Jaylen,” Stevens continued, “whether he has success and gets all the accolades like Finals MVP or Eastern Conference Finals MVP or if he feels like he got left off a team, I know he’s going to be motivated and hungry regardless. That’s what I’ve always loved about him. He always comes back to work.”

Trivia: In 2011, Brad Stevens coached Butler to its second straight National Championship game appearance, though the Bulldogs lost in the end. What future Celtic led the opposing team in scoring in that game?

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: He played for the Celtics from 2019-2021 and announced his NBA retirement in July.

Scores and schedules:

The Revolution lost to the Philadelphia Union 5-1 on Wednesday, with Ian Harkes scoring the lone goal for New England. The busy schedule continues for the Revolution, who face FC Dallas at Gillette Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

The Red Sox return from the All-Star break on Friday, beginning a three-game series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

More from Boston.com:

David Ortiz’s bold prediction: The former Red Sox slugger made his pick for the World Series, going in another direction from his former Yankee counterparts.

On this day: In 1998, the Red Sox hit four home runs in the fourth inning to put the Tigers away in a 9-4 win.

Red Sox 1998 Boston Globe

Daily highlight: Ian Harkes provided the lone bright spot for the Revolution on a night when they were thoroughly beaten by the Philadelphia Union.

Trivia answer: Kemba Walker

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