The Team USA roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics features some of the biggest names in the NBA. However, reigning Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown’s surprise exclusion irked many, including Carmelo Anthony.
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The Hall of Famer voiced his disappointment about Team USA’s decision to leave the Boston Celtics superstar back home during his appearance on Podcast P. The three-time Olympic gold medalist claimed the leadership group made it too obvious that they had a vendetta against the forward. He said,
“I think he shoulda got a shot [at playing in Paris]. For whatever reason it is, you can’t make it that obvious. This man busted his a*s, he works hard. He take everything that people say about him, he’s not marketable, he’s not this, he’s not that. And he go win a championship and do it the way he did it.”
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Brown wasn’t part of the initial 12-man roster announced in April. However, when a spot opened up earlier this month following Kawhi Leonard’s withdrawal, many believed the Celtics forward would be the perfect replacement.
But surprisingly, Team USA replaced the Los Angeles Clippers forward with Celtics guard Derrick White, leaving everyone perplexed, including Brown. The Celtics superstar did not hide his displeasure about his exclusion and publicly called out Nike for their alleged role in him being left out of the squad.
@nike this what we doing ?
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 10, 2024
The forward believes that the brand, Team USA’s apparel sponsor since 2006, exacted revenge on him for calling them unethical. Brown made the remark after Nike ended its association with Kyrie Irving. The veteran guard promoted a movie with an anti-semitic message on his Instagram stories, prompting the brand to terminate his shoe deal.
Nike founder Phil Knight claimed Irving ‘stepped over the line’ by sharing the film, which did not sit well with the Celtics superstar, who called him and the brand out on X.
Jaylen Brown fires back at Nike ending their relationship with Kyrie Irving pic.twitter.com/j0JBZDfHma
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 10, 2022
Team USA managing director Grant Hill absolved Nike and claimed that the apparel giant played no role in Brown’s exclusion. However, the reigning Finals MVP isn’t buying it and believes that the brand undoubtedly had a hand in him being left out.
