Jaylen Brown ignited a fire Wednesday, and he fanned the flames Thursday.
Brown, who didn’t crack Team USA’s initial roster for the Paris Olympics, missed another opportunity to join the team when Kawhi Leonard was replaced by Celtics teammate Derrick White. Brown shared his confusion about the omission on social media, which opened the floodgates for fans and the media alike to float potential reasons for the snub.
One of the more popular theories was Brown’s icy history with Nike, Team USA’s lead sponsor. The NBA Finals MVP might have called out the juggernaut corporation in a post to X on Thursday.
“Im not afraid of you or your resources,” Brown posted.
USA basketball managing director Grant Hill refuted the speculation that the friction between Brown and Nike had any bearing on roster decisions. The Basketball Hall of Famer simply chalked Brown’s omission up as a team-building choice.
We might never find out the real reason(s) why Brown wasn’t asked to help the Americans defend their gold medal. But this whole situation could prove to be beneficial to both the Celtics and Brown, who could enter the 2024-25 season as motivated as ever even after winning his first NBA championship.
