BOSTON – Jaylen Brown’s busy summer is over as the Celtics prepare to wrap up their preseason on Friday in Abu Dhabi. But first, Brown had to add something to his long list of summer accomplishments.

Fresh off winning his first NBA title (as well as winning Eastern Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP honors), Brown is featured front and center on the cover of TIME Magazine, looking dapper and spinning a basketball on his finger. He is the first Celtics player to grace the cover of TIME since Larry Bird in 1984.

But Brown isn’t featured because of the many incredible things he can do on the basketball court. Brown is on TIME’s 2024 “100 Next” list, which “recognizes 100 emerging leaders from around the world who are shaping the future.”

Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick wrote a brief profile about Brown, praising the 27-year-old as a “beacon of hope” for his work off the field.

“Jaylen is not just an athlete; he is a beacon of hope showing us that true strength lies in lifting others up. I stand with him, inspired by the path he is paving for all of us,” Kaepernick wrote.

TIME’s Sean Gregory takes a much more in-depth look at Brown’s work both on the field and in the community, and it’s definitely worth a read for Celtics fans. While Brown didn’t address his Olympic snub, he had a lot to say about his work in the Boston community, his determination to continue Boston’s success story and his relationship with Jayson Tatum.

Jaylen Brown goes into detail about his goals in the community

Over the summer, Brown launched his new nonprofit, Boston XChange, with the goal of “building generational wealth and fostering cultural innovation in underserved and underrepresented communities.” He also started a similar program in Oakland, California, along with Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd.

When he signed his $304 million contract with the Celtics in 2023, Brown said his goal was to bring “Black Wall Street” to Boston.

“This isn’t going to happen overnight,” Brown told TIME. “My goal at 27 years old is to use all the resources at my disposal and join forces with like-minded people to put everything we have into this.”

Brown told TIME that he will soon announce a financial commitment to help close the racial wealth gap in Boston.

“I plan to commit a significant amount of resources to see, first, a better Boston and, second, a better America,” he said.

TIME says Jaylen Brown could be “the most important player in the NBA.”

In his post, Gregory has extremely high regard for Brown.

“Given his off-court ambitions to effect real social change, his leadership status on the NBA Players Union Executive Committee and his drive to bring another title to one of the NBA’s premier franchises, he proves he might have made Team USA. “Although the path to gold is a little easier, Brown could be the most important player in the NBA,” Gregory wrote.

Brown said he wants to change the way people see athletes and how athletes see themselves.

“I want to encourage the next generation to think for themselves,” he said. “I identify with both intellect and athlete. And I wouldn’t say one is more than the other. I want my legacy to balance both.”

Brown responds to being called “too smart for the NBA.”

Before the Celtics selected Brown third overall in 2016, some scouts thought he was “too smart for the NBA.” The TIME story shows how Brown grew academically during his year at UCLA as he took courses on global poverty and student activism. He also took a graduate course: “Theoretical Foundations for the Cultural Study of Sport in Education.”

While this course was not normally open to freshmen, Brown received an A and wrote his senior thesis on “Chess as a Metaphor for Engaging with the World.” It doesn’t sound like something a typical future NBA player would study or write, but Brown was (and still isn’t) a typical NBA player.

Brown heard the whispers of “too smart for the NBA” before the draft, but had no idea why that was a red flag.

“I was confused,” he said. “Part of me may have felt flattered. But at the same time, I didn’t understand what that meant.”

Jaylen Brown on his relationship with Jayson Tatum and winning more titles in Boston

Remember the days when critics said Brown and Jayson Tatum couldn’t win together? That they didn’t even like each other?

“We have a championship-caliber relationship,” Brown told TIME about his relationship with Tatum. “History will remember us both for what we achieved last season. And I think we have a lot more in store for people.”

Tatum and Brown will be the pillars of Boston basketball for years to come. And with their entire core returning from last year’s championship team this season, Brown is expecting big things for the Celtics.

“Our confidence is through the roof,” Brown said. “We have a great group. We have a good time window. So we want to make sure we’re doing the best we can. Nothing is promised. That’s why I’m looking forward to being with the boys again and getting together.” The journey continues again. It’s a lot of fun and the results will come naturally.