BRIGHTON, MA — As social media continues to grow, more and more athletes have begun taking the storytelling that was once reserved for journalists and media members into their own hands.
Podcasts have dominated the space, with guys like JJ Redick and Travis Kelce topping the charts, and through TikTok and YouTube, Boston Celtics forward Oshae Brissett has recently started giving fans an intimate glimpse at his life as a player.
“Just that, my personality,” Brissett told Bobby Manning of CLNS Media when asked about what he wants to achieve through social media. “I feel like a lot of people, fans, they just see us on the court. They don’t really know us as people. It’s a little bit of that. And it’s really fun for me. I like learning. I like editing.”
Brissett’s vlogs and videos date back to the 2020 Orlando bubble, where then-Philadelphia 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle took over mainstream media with his daily series. Brissett has continued posting since then, providing some content during his time with the Indiana Pacers, but the posts have ramped up since the offseason.
“When I was in Milan for Fashion Week, and I was just scrolling on TikTok, I just saw a whole bunch of creators just doing stuff, and it really made me interested in it,” Brissett told me when asked about his passion for social media after Saturday’s practice.
Brissett has amassed over 45,000 TikTok followers and 9,000 YouTube subscribers, posting content surrounding his daily life as a member of the Celtics.
And as much as his desire to show off his personality takes center stage, his passion for making content in general is just as strong.
“I’ve always had a knack for cameras and technology and stuff,” Brissett said. “So, I really started to dive deep into it this whole summer, and now it’s like a love for it. I leave here, if I’m not working out at night or not doing anything later, I just make sure I go home, edit, do stuff, [and] just try to put stuff out there.”
He wants to produce as much quality content as possible, but he’s still learning. Brissett’s self-taught when it comes to editing and creating content, so he’s always trying to improve.
“Whole bunch of YouTube,” Brissett told Manning when asked how he learned. “Every city I go to, I try to find a camera store and go talk to a clerk or something. There are a whole bunch of creators on TikTok and Instagram that I’ve DMed and talked to them. Just trying to reach out and find different things. Different ways to learn.”
Brissett’s long-form videos on YouTube include some short interviews in the Celtics locker room, his experience learning the city of Boston, and what his first week with the team looked like.
Meanwhile, his TikTok has focused on clipping up his days into fast-paced, well-edited shorts depicting what a preseason game day or training camp day may look like for a player.
He’s even given an inside look at what the apparel looks like for an NBA player, as he posted an unboxing video where he showed off a bunch of gear the Celtics sent him.
For fans who enjoy a behind-the-curtain look at their favorite team, Brissett is supplying that in bulk. Unfortunately, Twitch streams with Celtics rookie Jordan Walsh, who has been active on the platform, don’t seem to be in Brissett’s future.
“I did [consider streaming with Walsh], but streaming is too much,” Brissett said. “That takes too long. Not for me. Just sitting there talking. I can’t do that.”
