Photo: Celtics' Jaylen Brown Featured on TIME Magazine's Cover for '100 Next' Issue

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown's star power off the court has grown exponentially over the past year, and he added another unique distinction.

Brown was revealed as the cover star for TIME Magazine's 2024 "100 Next" list on Wednesday. Per Sanjana Mishra of Boston.com, he's the first Celtics player to appear on the cover of the magazine since Larry Bird 40 years ago.

Sam Jacobs, TIME's editor-in-chief, wrote that the goal of the "100 Next" list is to honor those who are "not waiting long in life to make an impact" and will "play an important role in leading the future."

Brown's profile was written by activist and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who called him "a force for justice and change."

Brown helped lead the Celtics to the 2024 NBA championship and was named NBA Finals MVP. During the offseason, he introduced his own independent shoe brand that included a signature sneaker and launched Boston XChange, which is "an initiative to build generational wealth in communities of color," per TIME.

"Jaylen isn't just an athlete; he's a beacon of hope, showing us that true power lies in lifting others up," Kaepernick wrote. "I stand with him, inspired by the path he's paving for us all."

Brown isn't letting the success of the past year go to his head, as he remains focused on helping the Celtics try to earn a second straight championship.

"I've been in the gym with Jaylen the past few weeks," Celtics center Al Horford told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne last month. "First of all, the dude looked like he's put on 10 more pounds of muscle. He looks great -- just unreal. He's so hungry, so motivated, so driven."