USA Basketball’s decision to select Derrick White as Kawhi Leonard’s replacement led to some cryptic tweets from Jaylen Brown, hinting at his displeasure with being overlooked. Following this, numerous fans and former players expressed their support for the reigning NBA Finals MVP, sympathizing with his snub.
During the ESPY red carpet event, the Celtics star was asked about the support he had received. “It’s great to have support, and one day I’ll share my story,” Brown told Sports Illustrated. “People don’t have all the information in the world that they would like to know.”
In an earlier interview with former NFL MVP Cam Newton, Brown responded with, “No comment,” when asked if the snub hurt his feelings.
Brown’s exclusion from the Paris-bound team became a hot topic after he tweeted a cryptic message aimed at Nike, Team USA’s sponsor. This tweet sparked conspiracy theories from former NBA player Enes Freedom and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, suggesting Nike might be responsible for Brown’s absence from the Olympic squad.
The controversy grew to the point where even Jayson Tatum was inundated with questions about the situation before a Team USA exhibition game, making him visibly uncomfortable.
In addition to Tatum and White, Jrue Holiday is the third Celtic, aside from Brown, to represent Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The country’s quest for a fifth consecutive gold medal begins on July 28 against Nikola Jokic’s Serbia.
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