- NBA. Stephen Curry confidently strikes a powerful pose declaring readiness for gold in Paris 2024 Olympics
- Boston Celtics. NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown: My teacher told me I'd be in jail in five years
NBA fans were taken aback when Jaylen Brown, the NBA Finals MVP, was not announced as Kwahi Leonard's replacement for Team USA's squad for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
This surprise apparently extended to Brown himself, who expressed his discontent on social media.
Brown hints at Nike's involvement in Team USA's decision
On Wednesday afternoon, Brown posted a messag on X of three emoji of a man raising an eyebrow and wearing a monocle, seemingly reacting to the announcement that his Celtics teammate Derrick White was chosen as an injury replacement for Kawhi Leonard.
Brown's subsequent post, "@nike this what we doing?" intensified speculation about the reasons behind his exclusion.
Brown's relationship with Nike and the sneaker industry has been contentious.
He has not signed with a sneaker company for over three years since his deal with Adidas expired.
Though he often wears Nike shoes, he sometimes removes the swoosh, and he wore Anta shoes at the All-Star Game.
This makes him one of the most prominent players without a current shoe deal.
Jaylen Brown's ongoing battle with Nike
Brown's discontent with Nike isn't new.
In 2022, he criticized the company, questioning their ethics following Nike founder Phil Knight's comments about Kyrie Irving's response to sharing an antisemitic documentary.
Nike had dropped Irving, stating their condemnation of hate speech.
Brown defended Irving, calling his suspension by the Nets"inappropriate" and a "violation of our CBA."
The connection between Brown's lack of a sneaker deal and his exclusion from Team USA became a topic of speculation.
Nike is a significant sponsor of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and USA Basketball, and Derrick White wears Nike shoes.
Grant Hill, director of USA Basketball, addressed the rumors on Wednesday.
"For a good portion of my career, I wore Fila," Hill joked, "That was supposed to be a joke. We're proud of our partners, obviously."
Hill denied that shoe politics influenced the decision, stating, "And, so, whatever theories that might be out there, they're just that. But that's my responsibility. And it's tough. It's tough to have conversations, tell people that they're not on the team. I'm trying to win and I'm trying to put together the right pieces that fit and give us a chance to win."