Jaylen Brown still isn’t over what went down with Team USA’s roster for the Paris Olympics. And honestly, can you blame him? Nearly a year later, he remains convinced that sneaker politics influenced his career more than his on-court performance. He dominated Boston’s championship run and earned both Eastern Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP. Yet, when it came time to pick the roster, he was nowhere to be found.

It’s strange because Brown’s valuable skillset could become crucial to any team. Meanwhile, his Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday made the cut. Then, when Kawhi Leonard pulled out with an injury, you’d think Brown would finally get his shot. Nope. Team USA went with yet another Celtic—Derrick White. Does this ring a bell?

But now we have some more clarity. Grant Hill, Team USA’s Managing Director, broke down his approach to selecting Team USA’s roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics, emphasizing a balance of experience, prime talent, and youth on Netflix‘s Court of Gold.

“For this roster, I looked at it, kind of as three buckets,” Hill explained. “You have the seasoned guys. Guys whose legacies are cemented. Then you have maybe some guys who are in their prime. And then you have some younger guys. And you wanted representation from all three buckets.”

So did Brown not fit in any of these 3 categories? Well, it does seem a little fishy because he can clearly fit in the “players in their prime”. It only makes Brown’s case stronger. Earlier Hill had made it clear on The Dan Patrick Show that choosing Derrick White over Brown came down to one thing—basketball. He didn’t leave room for speculation, shutting down any outside theories about the decision.

But the 3x All-Star isn’t satisfied. In an interview with Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated released last Friday, he didn’t mince words about the sneaker industry’s grip on basketball.

“The sneaker industry has way too much control over the basketball foundation, and youth sports is the same,” he said. Instead of just honing their skills, young players have to worry about which brand they align with. “Kids are having to worry about even playing with Nike, or playing with this, or playing with that, playing on Adidas circuit or etcetera. And they should just be working on developing their basketball skills.”

The Celtics’ star history with Nike? Complicated. He never signed with them and openly criticized the brand after they cut ties with Kyrie Irving. Apparently, Brown shared a link to a 2018 documentary that was widely condemned as antisemitic. It could have irked the popular shoe brand. He didn’t hesitate to blame Nike, insisting they kept him off the roster.

To this day, he maintains the brand contributed to his exclusion from Team USA. But that doesn’t mean he’s not focusing on going back-to-back.

Jaylen Brown reveals drastic changes for post-season preparation

Jaylen Brown had a little surprise for reporters after the All-Star Game—his weight. He revealed he’s sitting at 238 pounds, after hitting a peak of 245 this summer. NBA.com lists him at 223 pounds, so that’s a big jump.

Clearly, Brown made a conscious effort to bulk up, likely to handle the grind of another deep playoff run. More muscle means absorbing contact better and staying durable. But it can also mess with speed and shooting if not managed right. So far, it hasn’t slowed him down. It’s a fine balance between a powerhouse battering ram inside and twinkle-toeing his way past defenders. It’s an art!

This season, he’s averaging 22.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while continuing to be a defensive anchor. If you remember the 2024 Finals, the Celtics’ guard made Luka Doncic work for every bucket as he stood beside him. Defense wins you matches and Brown’s a wall that stands still!

The Celtics played a brutal 101 games last season, counting the playoffs. That kind of mileage adds up. Packing on muscle seems like Brown’s way of ensuring he can take the hits and keep going.

Brown looks ready to finish strong with a couple of months left in the regular season. The playoffs create legends, and he prepares for another shot at another ring.