Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown said this week that former NBA star Tracy McGrady was a formative influence on his game — and on his mindset — recounting a social-media exchange and a personal tribute during an All-Star appearance that he said still resonates today.
Speaking on a recent episode of McGrady’s "Cousins" podcast, co-hosted by McGrady’s cousin Vince Carter, Brown described how he first reached out to McGrady as a fan and how the veteran’s response shaped him. "TMAC is my inspiration — one of my favorite players of all time," Brown said on the episode. He recalled tagging McGrady on social media and getting a reply that included a short, pointed piece of advice: "Remember humble and hungry."
Brown said the phrase meant enough that he had Adidas imprint it on a pair of shoes for what he called his first All-Star game. "I had Adidas put that on the shoes, 'Remember Humble and Hungry,'" Brown said, adding he wore the TMAC-branded sneakers as an homage to an image of McGrady he remembered from youth — watching McGrady in the All-Star game wearing one red shoe and one blue shoe. "I remember watching the All-Star game when Mac was wearing one red shoe, one blue shoe; how iconic that was," Brown said.
The remarks are the latest example of Brown publicly acknowledging influences beyond his college and NBA coaching. A Georgia native and Cal alumnus, Brown has cultivated a reputation as a reflective player who studies the history of the sport; on the podcast he connected the stylistic and attitudinal through line between his own play and McGrady’s scoring wing game. He also said that the two men later developed a friendship, with McGrady offering mentorship at pivotal moments of Brown’s career.
Brown’s All-Star comment punctuates how personal and branding gestures have become intertwined in the NBA, with players often using footwear and social media to signal lineage and philosophy. Brown did not specify the exact year of his first All-Star appearance in the podcast, saying only that it was "in 2020 or 2021." He has been a multi-time All-Star during his tenure with the Celtics and has built a public profile as both a leading scorer and an outspoken figure on social issues.
McGrady, the former Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets star who remains an iconic figure for his scoring prowess in the 2000s, has increasingly used media platforms like his podcast to revisit career moments and mentor younger players. The exchange Brown described — a short online reply that turned into a long-term motto — highlights how veteran players’ words can have outsized influence on the next generation.
Brown’s comments arrive as he continues to play a central role for the Celtics, who remain among the NBA’s most scrutinized franchises. Whether through a tweet, a pair of custom sneakers, or direct mentorship, Brown’s acknowledgment of McGrady underlines the continuing cultural impact of past stars on today’s game and the personal ways players preserve those connections.