The ultimate honor for an athlete is seeing their jersey raised to the rafters, and Celtics star Jaylen Brown received that distinction from his alma mater, Wheeler High School, on Friday.

Brown, who played for Wheeler from 2011 to 2015, led the Wildcats to a state championship before moving on to play at Cal Berkeley and then joining the Boston Celtics. In 2024, he helped lead Boston to its record 18th NBA championship and earned Finals MVP honors.

At the ceremony, Brown reflected on his high school years and the mindset that took him from Marietta to the top of the NBA.

"I did. I 100% did," Brown said when asked whether he saw himself making it to the NBA when he was in high school. "A part of that is just my mentality. The faith, consistency, and hard work has paid off. I always felt like I would be a star. And to be able to come back to my community is more important than anything."

The event, held at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia, brought together alumni, faculty, students, and members of the community to celebrate Brown's accomplishments on and off the court.

Brown was in town ahead of the Celtics' matchup with the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on Saturday. In the game, he led Boston to a 132-106 victory over Atlanta with 41 points and six rebounds.

The retirement of Brown's jersey honors not only his achievements as an athlete but also his ongoing impact as a role model and inspiration to young players at Wheeler High and across the community.