Jaylen Brown Shows Off Kobe Bryant-Inspired Dance Moves To Improve Footwork

The Boston Celtics star isn't afraid to try new things in an effort to get better, and hitting the dance floor is one way that seems to be paying off for him this season

Apr 3, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (7) warms up before the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Jaylen Brown is always looking anywhere he can to learn new things and get better at his job, no matter where he finds the inspiration. When the Boston Celtics superstar wanted to be a better leader, he turned to astrology and numerology to try to find a deeper connection with his teammates. He took the time to learn about all of them in a unique way, and no matter what you might think of the method, he got the results he was looking for. 

On the court, the super-athletic Brown has already admitted to looking towards Luka Garza, who is, to put it kindly, much less athletic than Brown, to figure out new ways to finish around the rim. Again, the results speak for themselves, with Brown incorporating a variety of slow-step, deceleration moves that have thrown defenses off and helped him get to the line more than ever. 

But one other thing has stood out about Brown this season. His footwork and ball handling took a massive jump forward, allowing him to attack the rim in creative ways. No one in the league had more drives than Brown this season, and part of the reason he was able to also lead the league in made field goals was putting his footwork in motion and getting past defenders. 

This was pretty evident early on, which is why I tweeted this out back in November: 

I swear Jaylen Brown took dance classes this summer because his footwork this season is something else

— John Karalis 🇬🇷 (@John_Karalis) November 10, 2025

Well, it turns out he did take dance classes. Earlier this season, he shared a clip of himself learning salsa, which certainly involves a lot of footwork, hip motion, and coordination with a partner. 

But he didn’t stop there. In a recent stream, Brown shared a new dance video: Tap dancing. 

In the stream, Brown shared that it was Kobe Bryant who actually inspired him to take the lesson. 

“Someone I know how used to work with Kobe used to tell me that he used to work and do tap dancing in order to improve ankle mobility, foot flexibility, and just overall rhythm and flow on the court,” Brown explained. 

He also shared a video in which Bryant, during a public appearance, said, “I took tap dancing lessons. No kidding. And tap was like the best training for me in the world because it strengthened my feet, it changed my rhythm, my approach to the game. I was able to change speeds when I came back the following season. I think dancers put a lot more strain on their bodies than athletes do, and I think there's a lot that can be learned from that.” 

Brown certainly isn’t afraid to try something new in order to get more out of himself. As he gets older and some of the athleticism starts to wane, some of these tricks could be the difference between extending how many productive years he has in his 30s and fading as his vertical explosion drops. 

That's not the main concern right now, though. For now, Brown is looking for whatever edge he can to make another deep playoff run. That starts on Sunday, and Brown says he feels healthy and ready to take on the playoff challenge … and maybe dance his way to some new hardware.

“I'm just grateful. I'm excited,” Brown said at the team’s Wednesday practice. “I'm prepared mentally. Physically, I'm prepared. I feel a lot much better than I did last year going into the playoffs. So nothing really left to say, but let’s just go do it.”