Inside The Celtics

After Expressing Frustration with Olympic Snub, Jaylen Brown Called Derrick White: 'No Confusion'

Bobby Krivitsky

Apr 24, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7), forward Jayson Tatum (0), guard Derrick White (9) and forward Sam Hauser (30) walk to the bench during a timeout against the Miami Heat in the second quarter during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 24, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7), forward Jayson Tatum (0), guard Derrick White (9) and forward Sam Hauser (30) walk to the bench during a timeout against the Miami Heat in the second quarter during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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Team USA's men's basketball roster for the Summer Olympics in Paris, arguably the most talented the program has assembled, features three members of the reigning champion Celtics. That's 25 percent of the team.

However, it excludes this year's Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals MVP, Jaylen Brown.

While Derrick White is an excellent fit on a star-studded squad and won't take issue when he doesn't play, leaving the three-time All-Star off the roster, even after needing to replace Kawhi Leonard, raises suspicions about whether that decision got made, at least in part, for reasons beyond basketball.

Brown, who's taken aim at Nike after it dropped Kyrie Irving for sharing anti-Semitic material and for its business ethics, believes the sneaker giant, who is the apparel provider for Team USA's men's basketball program, played a role in denying him of the chance to represent his country at the Olympics.

However, his issue is with those two, not with White. While the latter surely understood, Brown, who sat courtside near Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck and vice president of basketball operations and team counsel Mike Zarren during the first half of Boston's Summer League game against the Lakers on Monday, shared in an interview at intermission that he reached out to White to ensure there was no confusion.

"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. "You don't always got to make anything public, but me and D. White are good."

Further Reading

After Saturday's Struggles, Jordan Walsh Returning to What Works Best

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Summer League Opener vs. Heat

Jayson Tatum Cried Upon Learning He's NBA2K25 Cover Athlete

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

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Bobby Krivitsky

BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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