Jaylen Brown got to experience a homecoming Saturday night when the Boston Celtics took on the Hawks at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

The Atlanta native entered the contest having a career year, averaging high marks in points (26.4) and rebounds (7.0) per game earning himself a second trip to the NBA All-Star game back in February. In front of his hometown, the 26-year-old didn’t just get the opportunity to play in front of friends and family, but Hawks legend and apparent fan Dominique Wilkins.

“I watched him when he was a young man here in Atlanta,” Wilkins told Brian Scalabrine, as seen on NBC Sports Boston. “To see his growth and what he’s come to be — he was like a man amongst boys back then because of his physicality and he was so much bigger and stronger than those guys.

“He’s developed each and every year because he wants to be one of the best to play this game. I’ve always been a fan of his. I’ve always appreciated how hard he plays. He plays with no fear and doesn’t mind banging down there with bigger guys. A lot of things that he’s doing, it reminds me of myself.”

Celtics fans will probably enjoy hearing that Brown has some similarities to Wilkins, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Brown has a long way to go before he secures an induction into Springfield, Mass., but continuing to improve the way he has will go a long way in helping him do that.

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