Jaylen Brown Names Key Teammate As Most Improved Player In The NBA

The Boston Celtics dealt with a major injury blow in the post-season a year ago, so much so that many fans and analysts wrote them off heading into the 2025/26 season. However, the team did more than stay afloat until Jayson Tatum's return, they dominated in the East, and now at full strength, this team has once again become a true NBA Championship contender.

With 29 PPG, 7 RPG and 5 APG, all eyes point to Jaylen Brown as the reason for this, but simply put, there's no way he could have led them to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference all on his own. He had plenty of help, with the emergence of several young names being key to the Celtics success, including the likes of Neemias Queta.

That fact hasn't escaped Brown, as he recently commented on the 26-year old, giving him plenty of praise and even suggesting he should be involved in the Most Improved Player Award process.

"Neemias Queta needs to be the most improved player, he needs to be on the defensive team or something. He needs some type of award for his growth this year.”

The meaning of that award has been lost in recent years, but as a former second-round pick that has jumped from a career high of 5.5 PPG to 10 in 2025/26 along with 8 rebounds and 2 assists per game, it's hard to deny just how much Queta has improved.

Whether 2025/26 is his ceiling in the NBA or not, only time will tell, but given the leap that the big man has taken this season, it's hard to argue with Brown's assessment of his teammate.