Jaylen Brown's cryptic tweet seemingly correlates Joe Biden's recent decision & his snub from Team USA - "It starts in grassroots"
On Sunday, U.S. President Joe Biden abruptly ended his re-election campaign. Afterward, Boston Celtics star wing Jaylen Brown touched on the correlation between sports and politics, seemingly hinting at his Team USA snub.
Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race following weeks of pressure from prominent Democratic Party members and donors who were skeptical of his viability. He announced his decision on Sunday, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place in the race against former President Donald Trump.
Shortly after, Brown took to X/Twitter, highlighting how sports feature extensive politics, beginning at the youth level.
"Anyone who voices that sports and politics aren’t synonymous is lying to you and themselves. It starts in the grassroots with our youth, for example," Brown said.
Brown's tweet comes less than two weeks after he was snubbed as a replacement for Team USA's Paris Summer Olympics roster. After missing the initial cut, Brown received a second chance to earn the squad's 12th roster spot after LA Clippers superstar forward Kawhi Leonard withdrew.
Instead, USA Basketball chose Brown's Celtics teammate Derrick White on July 10. While White is considered an elite role player, Brown is coming off a dominant playoff run, winning this year's NBA Finals MVP. Thus, his omission came as a surprise to many.
Brown also issued cryptic tweets following his snub. He first tweeted three monocle emojis, seemingly questioning the decision.
In a follow-up tweet, the three-time All-Star implied that Nike, Team USA's sponsor, may have influenced the decision. Brown has been an outspoken critic of the company in recent years, likely fueling his suspicion.
So, given his latest tweet, Brown may still be irked by USA Basketball's decision as the team gears up for the start of the Olympics on Friday.
In Photo: Jaylen Brown continues his Brazil holiday with Vinicius Jr., spotted playing soccer with Real Madrid stars and Grammy winner Ludmilla
Grant Hill on Team USA selecting Derrick White over Jaylen Brown
Jaylen Brown may not have appreciated being overlooked by Team USA. However, according to USA Basketball's managing director, Grant Hill, the decision was made in the team's best interest.
"You have to build a team, and one of the hardest things is leaving people off the roster that I'm a fan of, that I look forward to watching throughout the season, throughout the playoffs," Hill said on July 10.
"Guys who've been Finals MVP, guys who have been a part of the program, guys who've won gold medals, guys who 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."
Brown is widely viewed as a superior player to Derrick White. However, Team USA's roster already features many of the league's top superstars, including Steph Curry, LeBron James and Joel Embiid. So, Hill was likely a fan of what White offered as a utility player around the squad's premier players.
In Photos: Jaylen Brown's luxurious $4.75 million condo up for sale