Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown expressed little surprise over USA Basketball’s decision to exclude him from the U.S. squad for the Paris Olympics in favour of his teammate Derrick White. Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, hinted at possible influence from Nike, a major sponsor of USA Basketball, as a reason for his exclusion.
When asked if he believed Nike had a hand in the decision, Brown responded affirmatively. “I do for sure,” Brown said during an interview in Las Vegas. “There will be more stuff to come with that. As of now, I’m not gonna comment on it.”
USA Basketball recently announced that White would be replacing Kawhi Leonard, who has been dealing with chronic knee issues, on the Olympic roster. Brown had previously suggested on social media that Nike, a company with which he has had a contentious relationship, might have prevented his selection. Unlike White, Brown is not a Nike-sponsored athlete.
Despite the controversy, Brown expressed support for White. “I wasn’t surprised,” Brown said about the decision. “But my reaction was that I was happy for him. It’s dope to have so many of our guys on there, so I was happy for those guys. But I wasn’t surprised.”
Brown’s history with Nike has been fraught with tension. In a post from November 2022, he criticized the company’s ethics following comments by Nike co-founder Phil Knight about Kyrie Irving. Brown, who initially signed with Adidas upon entering the NBA, became a sneaker free agent and has since been seen wearing various Nike shoes with the swoosh logo removed.
In response to inquiries about whether he congratulated White privately, Brown confirmed that he did. “I called Derrick right away,” he said. “Just to make sure there’s no confusion, my love for you and all of that. He knew that. Me and D-White are good.”
Looking ahead, Brown emphasized his focus on the upcoming Celtics season. Fresh off their 2024 NBA championship, he noted the renewed motivation to continue their success. “Right when that burden gets alleviated, you get more motivation to follow it,” Brown said. “For me, it’s back to ground one. My mindset is the championship is over now. Now, we gotta get back to work.”
Grant Hill, managing director of the U.S. men’s national team, explained the rationale behind White’s selection. Hill praised White’s ability to seamlessly fit into a team dynamic, highlighting his defensive skills and shooting accuracy. “One of the many things that I really love about Derrick, and particularly with this team, is I don’t feel like his role changes much with our team from what he does with the Celtics,” Hill said.
Hill emphasized the importance of team cohesion in his selection process. “The responsibility that I have is to put together a team and a team that complements each other, a team that fits, a team that will give us the best opportunity for success,” Hill stated. He dismissed speculations and theories about the selection process as unfounded.
Brown, a three-time All-Star and second-team All-NBA player in 2023, along with White, were both part of the 2019 U.S. World Cup team. Despite his impressive credentials, Brown was passed over for the Olympic squad. White, who has not been an All-Star, averaged 15.2 points and shot nearly 40 percent from three-point range for the Celtics, earning second-team All-Defense honors.
Team USA is set to face Serbia and NBA MVP Nikola Jokić in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday before concluding their pre-Olympic showcase in London. Their first game of the Paris Olympics is scheduled against Serbia on July 28 in Lille, France.
