Jaylen Brown’s 2023-24 campaign was the most individual and team success he’s had in the NBA. Boston had been a contender in the East for several seasons. However, they were unable to get over the hump and win an NBA title. That all changed in the 2024 postseason when Boston went 16-3 en route to winning the NBA Finals.
Boston’s Jaylen Brown was the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and NBA Final MVP for the Celtics. Brown was one of the most consistent players for the Celtics this postseason. Two of his teammates, Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday, were selected to the 12-man roster for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics. Yesterday, Team USA announced Kawhi Leonard was withdrawing from the team due to injury. Boston’s Derrick White was quickly named a replacement for Leonard and Jaylen Brown felt slighted. He went on social media to voice his frustrations.
Was Jaylen Brown left off the Team USA roster for unfair reasons?
Jaylen Brown doesn’t seem happy about being left off the Olympic team 👀 pic.twitter.com/sYc7dQUztZ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 10, 2024
While Jaylen Brown has received criticism in the past, the three-time all-star had a dominant postseason for the Celtics. When Kawhi Leonard withdrew from the Team USA roster due to injury, Jaylen Brown felt he had his chance to make the team. However, they chose his teammate Derrick White to fill the final spot. Leaving Brown off the 12-man roster for 2024. Brown is known to voice his frustrations on social media and he did just that.
The 27-year-old tagged Nike in a post on X and that’s likely what’s holding Brown off the roster. Not that specific post, but his ongoing feud with Nike. In 2022, Brown voiced his frustrations when his former teammate Kyrie Irving lost his shoe deal with Nike after he promoted an antisemitic film on Twitter. Since then, Brown has removed the signature Nike swoosh from any of the Nike shoes he owns. Nike has been the longtime supplier of athletic gear for Team USA. Did Nike have something to do with Brown being left off the Olympic roster in 2024?
Jaylen Brown shows his Nike Kobe 6s “Reverse Grinch” without the swoosh, he wore today for the NBA Christmas game 🎄🏀 pic.twitter.com/3uIjxv2b5p
— KicksFinder (@KicksFinder) December 26, 2023
Regardless of how Jaylen Brown feels, there’s nothing he can do to change the mind of Team USA. They’ve already picked Derrick White to replace Kawhi Leonard. When you compare the players side by side, Jaylen Brown is undoubtedly more talented than Derrick White. However, USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill said it’s about building a complementary team. They felt White was the best option to fill the 12th and final spot.
