Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown maintains his firm belief that there were outside influences to exclude him from the Team USA for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Despite not being selected, Brown has made it clear that he doesn’t hold grudges against his teammates and will use disappointment as motivation to improve.
Brown’s frustration is understandable, as he played a pivotal role in the Celtics’ recent championship in the NBA playoffs. His performance during the NBA Finals, where he won the MVP, makes him a strong candidate for the national team.
However, the decision to include Dereck White over Brown could be attributed to the depth at guard of the Team USA. Even before White’s addition, the list already included stars such as Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton and Jrue Holiday.
Jaylen Brown says who’s to blame for not being included in Team USA
Jaylen Brown believes Nike influenced him not to be included in Team USA. Speaking to the media, Brown not only reaffirmed his critical social media post hinting at Nike’s involvement, but also went further: “I’m sure I have more to come with that,” Brown said, according to the Celtics’ Bobby Manning in CLNS. “But as of now I’m not going to comment on it.”
Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts after a play against the Dallas Mavericks during the fourth quarter of Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
Despite his obvious disappointment, Brown made sure there are no hard feelings toward his selected teammates. “I wasn’t surprised. I was happy for these guys. I love having so many of our guys there,” Brown said, according to SB Nation’s Noa Dalzell.
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Brown’s criticism seems to be directed solely at Nike. In fact, he even mentioned reaching out to Celtics teammate Derrick White to clarify that there are no issues with his selection. “I called Derrick right away just to make sure there was no confusion,” Brown told reporters in Las Vegas.
Team USA has a clear goal: Win the gold medal at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Analysts believe that they have a good chance of being crowned champions at the Olympic event.
