"I'm with my beautiful date tonight": Jaylen Brown deflects question on Team USA snub, switches focus on Kysre Gondrezick
Boston Celtics All-Star wing Jaylen Brown kept mum on his Team USA snub and instead channeled focus on his date Kysre Gondrezick on an eventful night on Thursday at the 2024 ESPY Awards.
The newly minted NBA champion and Finals most valuable player hit the red carpet of the annual sporting awards in Los Angeles and did not escape prying on his non-inclusion in the United States squad for the Paris Olympic Games beginning later this month.
NFL star Cam Newton asked Jaylen Brown about the Team USA snub but the latter chose to deflect the question and instead highlighted his date for the night.
Their conversation went like:
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 was seemingly unhappy for not being included in Team USA for the Paris Games, sharing his thoughts on the development with a series of cryptic posts on X, formerly Twitter.
It came when an opening in the team became available after Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers withdrew from being part of the team over injury concerns. The spot was eventually given to Brown's Celtics teammate Derrick White.
Meanwhile, at the 2024 ESPYs, Brown won best championship performance after he averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists in five games of their NBA title conquest over the Dallas Mavericks, where 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.
But despite not being part of the Paris group, Brown's Boston Celtics are well-represented in the team with Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White included.