Jaylen Brown Joins Exclusive Club of Ex-Cal Players With 60-Win NBA Seasons

Brown became the sixth former Cal player to help his team to that lofty plateau.

Jaylen Brown became the sixth former Cal player to help his NBA team win at least 60 games, but it’s iffy whether he and his Boston Celtics teammate can equal the 66-victory total of ex-Golden Bears star Leon Powe with the 2007-08 Celtics.

Brown had 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists as the Boston Celtics routed the Sacramento Kings 135-100 on Wednesday night. That lifted the Celtics to 60-16 with six games left on the schedule.

Powe was a key reserve on Boston’s 2008 NBA championship team. For Brown to match their 66 wins, these Celtics would have to win their final six games — beginning Friday at home vs the Sacramento Kings.

Given their 13-game lead in the Eastern Conference standings, the Celtics might rest key players in a game or two before the playoffs begin. That could impact their ability to win six in a row to close the regular season.

Here are the ex-Golden Bears who were part of 60-win NBA teams: 

*** PHIL CHENIER - 1974-75 Washington Bullets (60-22)

Chenier averaged 21.8 points and teamed with Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld to charge into the NBA Finals, where they were swept 4-0 by the Warriors. 

*** MARK McNAMARA - 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers (65-17)

McNamara was a rookie backup to center Moses Malone, averaging 2.2 points in 36 games with two starts. Philly, also featuring Julius Erving, blitzed the competition in the postseason, compiling a 12-1 record including  a sweep of the Lakers in the Finals.

*** MARK McNAMARA - 1989-90 Los Angeles Lakers (63-19)

Seven years later, McNamara switched coasts and contributed 3.1 points in 33 games to a Lakers team led by Magic Johnson and James Worthy. Los Angeles was upset 4-1 by the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference semifinals.

*** KEVIN JOHNSON - 1992-93 Phoenix Suns (62-20)

KJ was a dynamo for this team, contributing 16.1 points and 7.8 assists to complement superstar Charles Barkley. The Suns made it to the NBA Finals before losing 4-2 to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

*** SEAN MARKS - 2005-06 San Antonio Spurs (63-19)

Now the general manager of the Brooklyn Nets, Marks scored 3.2 points per game in 25 appearances for a Spurs team led by Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. San Antonio was upended 4 games to 3 by the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals.

*** LEON POWE - 2007-08 Boston Celtics (66-16)

Powe was a valuable bench player for the Celtics, providing 7.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in 56 games to a team that featured Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Boston beat the Lakers 4-2 in the NBA Finals, with Powe erupting for 21 points in a Game 2 triumph.

*** LEON POWE - 2008-09 Boston Celtics (62-20)

Powe averaged 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 70 games, including seven starts, but the Celtics could not go back-to-back, losing 4-3 to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

And two more who were close to 60 victories . . . 

*** CHARLES JOHNSON - 1975-76 Golden State Warriors (59-23)

A year after shocking the basketball world with a championship run, Johnson averaged 9.2 points for a Warriors squad that lost 4 games to 3 to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference finals.

*** FRANCISCO ELSON - 2006-07 San Antonio Spurs (58-24)

Elson averaged 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds while starting 41 times for a Spurs team powered by Duncan and Parker that swept the Cleveland Cavaliers and 22-year-old LeBron James in the NBA Finals.