Taylor Rooks has become a household name in the sports and media industry, known for securing in-depth, tell-all interviews with NBA stars. After signing a major deal with Amazon to become the host for their NBA coverage starting next year, her 2018 interview with Jaylen Brown resurfaced, bringing back a ballsy claim made by the Boston Celtics superstar.
At the time, Jaylen Brown, who was only 22, confidently stated he would win five NBA championships within the next six years—a bold, bold proclamation, to say the least. In the interview, Brown was asked by Taylor Rooks about his expectations for himself within the next five years. He did not hold back about his expectations for his championship aspirations.
I don’t wanna jinx myself, but I don’t play to lose, so I’mma go ahead and say five.
Jaylen Brown said in the 2018 interview
Fast-forward to 2024, Jaylen Brown has just one championship under his belt after the Celtics’ title win last season, although he did win the Finals MVP to add some weight to his arguments. Although at 28, Brown is far from the promised 5-6 championships, it still is hilarious to look back at his audacious, if not braggadocious, claims.
Remember when Taylor Rooks had Jaylen Brown saying he’d win 5 championships by the time he was 28? ðŸ˜pic.twitter.com/szlFsZEIbN
— Kicks (@kicks) December 16, 2024
Her ability to draw candid, if not over-the-top, responses like Brown’s bold prediction is one reason Rooks’ interviews resonate deeply. Taylor Rooks’ deal with Amazon will see her leaving TNT, the network where she established herself as one of the biggest personalities in the sports media industry.
Taylor Rooks revealed the reason NBA stars open up to her
It has become a running joke among NBA fans that players tend to make braggadocious claims during Taylor Rooks’ interviews. Rooks, however, has been vocal about her approach, attributing the success of her interviews to meticulous preparation and thoughtful questioning rather than surface-level assumptions about her appearance.
During an interview with Complex Sports last year, Rooks opened up about her role as one of the premier interviewers across the sports media industry. She especially revealed her thoughts on people joking about her looks, making stars open up.
I will say I have seen the tweets. This belief that if a player gets in front of me, they’re just gonna say whatever. I don’t agree with the narrative. I think that people confuse just the fact that I can ask a good question with the way that I look. And I think that without even realizing it, it can be a little diminishing to the work that I put in for the interview.
Taylor Rooks said in the interview
Yes, @TaylorRooks has seen the tweets about NBA players getting in front of her and saying outlandish things, but don’t let that narrative diminish her work as a top tier interviewer. 💯
Full Rankings: pic.twitter.com/NOEfDd5TgE
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) December 11, 2023
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