Oregon Professional Athletes

Payton Pritchard isn't going anywhere — and neither is his competitive chip.

The Oregon product signed a contract extension with the Boston Celtics this week, cementing his place on a roster in the middle of a significant identity reset. Pritchard sat down with NBC Sports Boston for a wide-ranging conversation that touched on the Jaylen Brown trade, the influx of new faces, and what the Celtics owe their fans after a disappointing playoff exit.

Losing Brown, Keeping Perspective

Brown's departure looms large over Boston's offseason, and Pritchard didn't sidestep it. The two built a genuine relationship during their time together — one that clearly left a mark on the Duck guard.

"I'm very grateful for the relationship I've had with JB, because he kind of took me under his wing, pushed me, made me better," Pritchard told Boston.com.

It's a candid acknowledgment that the trade isn't just a roster move — it's a cultural shift. Brown was one of the franchise's defining voices. Pritchard, now extended and entering his prime, is part of the group that has to fill that void.

No Excuses, Just Work

On the broader question of what comes next, Pritchard's message was blunt: the Celtics don't get to lean on the transition as an excuse. After falling short in the playoffs, he said the team simply "have to prove it" — a framing that signals zero interest in a rebuilding narrative.

Pritchard also expressed genuine excitement about the new additions surrounding him, telling NBC Sports Boston he's focused on "getting better" individually while embracing what the reshuffled roster can become. That dual focus — personal improvement alongside team chemistry — is the kind of leader-speak that tends to carry more weight when it's backed by a freshly signed extension.

The Oregon Connection in Boston

Pritchard isn't alone in green and white. Fellow Duck Chris Boucher is also on the Celtics roster at power forward, giving Oregon a two-man foothold on one of the NBA's marquee franchises. Both return to a team that is under pressure to show last season's stumble was an aberration, not a trend.

Elsewhere in the League

Oregon alum Dillon Brooks, now with the Phoenix Suns, made headlines of his own this week — though for lighter reasons. Brooks reacted publicly to the news that Phoenix is scheduled to host the Philadelphia 76ers on LeBron James' 42nd birthday, telling Bleacher Report he's "excited" for the occasion. Brooks has never been shy about relishing marquee matchups, and LeBron's birthday game is exactly the kind of stage the veteran wing gravitates toward.

For Pritchard, though, the storyline is bigger than any single game. He's locked in, extended, and carrying the weight of a franchise at a crossroads. Oregon fans have watched him grow from a feel-good draft story into a legitimate NBA rotation piece — now the next chapter asks whether he can help carry Boston back to title contention without the teammate who helped shape him.

The villain isn't going anywhere.

Dillon Brooks, the former Oregon Duck who built his NBA reputation on defense and edge, has secured a 3-year, $73 million contract extension with the Phoenix Suns — a fully guaranteed deal with no options that keeps him in the desert through the 2029-30 season. For Oregon fans watching one of the program's most recognizable NBA exports, this is the kind of payday that validates a career arc built on proving doubters wrong.

The extension comes off the heels of Brooks' best professional season. In his first year with Phoenix, the Canadian forward averaged a career-high 20.2 points per game — a leap that reframed his identity from lockdown pest to genuine offensive contributor. That combination of defensive intensity and improved scoring output is exactly what the Suns bet on when they brought him in, and the new extension signals that the front office got what it paid for.

The deal is being described around the league as team-friendly, which may be the sharpest part of Phoenix's offseason work. At roughly $24 million per year, the Suns tied up one of their primary culture-setters without breaking the bank — a meaningful consideration as the NBA navigates an era of tighter financial constraints and increasing roster-building complexity. The extension aligns squarely with Phoenix's stated long-term vision, anchoring Brooks alongside the franchise's existing core.

Brooks himself has never lacked for confidence, and his reported reaction to the extension — "Villain is here to stay" — tracks perfectly with a player who has worn the antagonist label as a badge of honor since his days in Memphis. He's translated that mentality into production in Phoenix, and the Suns are clearly betting it only deepens with continuity.

For Oregon, Brooks is the most prominent Duck active in the NBA right now, and he isn't the only one on the Suns' roster — center Bol Bol also suits up for Phoenix. But this week belonged entirely to Brooks. A career-high scoring season, a long-term deal, and a city that's fully bought in: the former Duck has found his home.