Kawhi Leonard will miss the Olympics due to health issues, and Team USA has chosen Derrick White from the Celtics to replace him. This decision didn’t sit well with Jaylen Brown, who immediately expressed his dissatisfaction on Twitter following the announcement.
The media has largely focused on Brown’s reaction, overshadowing the positive news of White’s inclusion. White is seen as a suitable choice for a bench role on Team USA. However, Brown’s frustration seems to stem from his belief that his and his friend Kyrie Irving’s exclusions were politically motivated. Personally, I think it’s not a good look to be upset about being left out when a teammate, who has contributed to their championship win, is chosen instead.
Jaylen Brown often feels underappreciated in the NBA, akin to Rodney Dangerfield, who famously said he gets no respect. Despite this, Brown recently won the ESPY award for “Best Championship Performance” and was named MVP of both the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals last month. Additionally, Brown earned All-NBA Second Team honors a year ago, which enabled him to secure a supermax contract rather than just a max deal. He held the title of the highest-paid player in the NBA until his teammate Jayson Tatum signed his own supermax deal this summer.
Derrick White, who was already a finalist for this year’s Olympic team and previously considered for the 2020 squad, is a familiar face to Team USA. He also played for them during the 2019 World Cup. Congratulations to Derrick White on his selection!
