After Team USA decided that Boston Celtics defensive dynamo Derrick White would replace Kawhi Leonard ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jaylen Brown — in an apparent reaction to being snubbed — made some cryptic posts on social media.
However, according to a new report, Brown made sure to text White during the drama to make sure his Celtics teammate knew that none of it was personal.
“Brown texted White directly to make sure he knew none of this was personal, sources said,” ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne wrote.
Leonard missed much of the Los Angeles Clippers’ first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks due to inflammation in his right knee. He was originally on Team USA’s roster but was later replaced.
Brown uploaded some posts to X after the decision was made and jabbed at Nike, a sponsor of Team USA.
🧐🧐🧐
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 10, 2024
@nike this what we doing ?
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 10, 2024
Im not afraid of you or your resources
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 11, 2024
At the time, Brown was on the heels of the most impressive playoff run of his NBA career. The Celtics cruised through the 2024 NBA Playoffs and won the title, and no player had a larger hand in Boston’s dominant title run than Brown.
Offensively, the 27-year-old scored the ball with terrific efficiency across 19 playoff games. Brown averaged 23.9 points per game while converting 51.6 percent of his shots from the field and 32.7 percent of his shots from deep. Inside the 3-point line, he shot 60.7 percent.
Brown had his fair share of great moments as a passer as well. He averaged the fourth-most assists per contest of any player on the Celtics during the 2024 NBA Playoffs, and he totaled six-plus assists in three of the five games of the NBA Finals against the Mavericks.
While Brown consistently and efficiently put up points throughout the Celtics’ championship run, his presence on the defensive side of the ball was perhaps just as important to the team’s 18th title in franchise history.
Brown was tasked with guarding one of the better offensive players in the league today — Luka Doncic — for much of the NBA Finals, and Doncic had a hard time finding a rhythm when he was checked by the three-time All-Star.
When he was defended by Brown, Doncic scored only 21 points on 9-of-22 shooting from the floor and 2-of-8 shooting from deep. He also committed five turnovers.
Luka Doncic when defended by Jaylen Brown in the NBA Finals:
154.4 possessions
32:04 matchup time
21 PTS
9-22 FG (40.9%)
2-8 3PT (25.0%)
5 TO
2 Shooting FoulsIt was the most matchup time logged by a Celtics player vs an opponent in any round of the postseason.
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) June 18, 2024
Considering how well Brown played on both sides of the ball for the best team in the NBA during the 2024 NBA Playoffs, it remains perplexing to some as to why he wasn’t one of the players selected to represent the United States in Paris.
