Derrick White Reveals Details from Phone Call with Jaylen Brown After Team USA Snub

Eric Jay Santos | Jul 29, 2024

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Boston Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White are currently representing Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Celtics forward Jaylen Brown, this year’s Eastern Conference and NBA Finals MVP, was snubbed from Team USA’s roster. 

🧐🧐🧐

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 10, 2024

After expressing his discontent about not getting chosen, even as a fill-in, to represent his country in Paris this summer, Brown quickly called White, who Team USA selected to replace Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, to ensure there was no confusion about the three-time All-Star being happy for his teammate and that his gripe is exclusively with Nike and Team USA.

"I called Derrick right away just to make sure there was no confusion, like, 'my love for you and all of that,' (to make sure) he knew that, and he did," said Brown while at Summer League in Las Vegas. "You don't always got to make anything public, but me and D. White are good."

In Paris, White shared details from his phone call with Brown with Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.

“Jaylen gave me a call and I was like, ‘Yeah, you didn’t need to call me. I know we’re good,’” said White. “He gave me a call and said he just wanted to clear things up and I told him we’re all good. Never any problem or issue with us, for sure. He’s a hell of a player and I’ve never had a bad thing to say about JB.”

Further Reading

Steve Kerr Explains Benching Jayson Tatum in Team USA's Win vs. Serbia

Jayson Tatum Gets Candid about Relationship with Jaylen Brown

Summer League Struggles Offer Valuable Lessons to Jordan Walsh

D.J. MacLeay Shares How Baylor Scheierman Impressed Him in Celtics Win vs. Lakers

Jaylen Brown 'Wasn't Surprised' by Olympic Snub: 'All the Motivation in the World'

Celtics Rookie Anton Watson Shares Brad Stevens' Message to Him

Celtics' Coaching Staff Changes Match Theme of Boston's Offseason

Celtics Roster, Salary Cap Breakdown After Whirlwind Start to Free Agency

New Details about Plan to Sell Majority Stake in Celtics Revealed

Brad Stevens Shares His Outlook on Celtics' Draft Picks

Al Horford, Raising Cane's, and a Region that Loves Him

On Derrick White and the Fuel for Unprecedented Journey to NBA's Best Role Player

Jayson Tatum, an NBA Champion Entering Peak of His Powers