Boston Celtics’ All-Star wing Jaylen Brown stayed quiet about his Team USA snub, instead focusing on his date Kysre Gondrezick on Thursday’s eventful night at the 2024 ESPY Awards.
The newly crowned NBA champion and Finals most valuable player hit the red carpet at the annual sporting awards ceremony in Los Angeles, where he was questioned about his exclusion from the United States Olympic squad for the Paris Games, which begin later this month.
Cam Newton, an NFL great, confronted Jaylen Brown about the Team USA snub, but the latter chose to sidestep the subject and instead focus on his girlfriend for the night.
Cam Newton: How do you feel about the USA Team, bro?Jaylen Brown: What you mean?CN: Why aren’t you there? Do you feel a way?JB: I really have no comment, you know what I mean? I got my beautiful date right there.CN: Ah, he’s trying to deflect, ladies and gentlemen, and she’s a stepper.
Jaylen Brown appeared to be upset over not being included in Team USA’s Paris Games roster, offering his thoughts on the situation in a series of cryptic messages on X, formerly Twitter.
It occurred when an opening in the team became available after Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers withdrew from the team due to injury concerns. Derrick White, Brown’s Celtics colleague, subsequently took over the slot.
Meanwhile, Brown earned best championship performance at the 2024 ESPYs after averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in five games of the team’s NBA title victory over the Dallas Mavericks, during which he was named Finals MVP.
Team USA says leaving out players like Jaylen Brown not intentional
USA Basketball addressed “theories” surrounding the exclusion of players like Jaylen Brown from Team USA for the Paris Olympic Games. It said the selection process was a tough job but it had to go with what it felt was the best team collectively.
Team USA executive director Grant Hill shared how the process of selection was and dispelled any talk of players being left out from the team was intentional and prodded by “external forces.”
The NBA legend said, by way of ESPN:
“You get 12 spots, and you have to build a team. And one of the hardest things is leaving people off the roster… Guys who’ve been Finals MVPs, guys who’ve been a part of the program, guys who’ve won gold medals, guys I respect, admire and enjoy watching.But the responsibility that I have is to put together a team and a team that complements each other, a team that fits a team that will give us the best opportunity for success.”
He added:
“And, so, whatever theories that might be out there, they’re just that…”
Jaylen Brown seemingly expressed his displeasure over his non-inclusion in Team USA in a series of cryptic posts on social media, including one taking a dig at Nike, who he felt had something to do with it because of his past criticisms of the company.
Despite not being part of the Paris group, Brown’s Boston Celtics are highly represented on the team, which includes Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White.