Billie Weiss/Getty Images
Boston Celtics wing and reigning NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown will be considered for inclusion on Team USA for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles after not making the squad for this year’s Games in Paris.
Basketball Hall of Famer and Team USA men’s hoops managing director Grant Hill, who Brown criticized after being snubbed, spoke about the matter on All The Smoke’s Open Run with Rachel Nichols.
All the Smoke Productions @allthesmokeprod
Grant Hill responds to the criticisms and controversies surrounding USA Basketball’s roster construction.
Watch his full sit-down with @Rachel__Nichols on our YouTube: https://t.co/qon0bbeM94 pic.twitter.com/hmSJi1e4Hd
“I’m confident he and I will sit down at some point and talk about it and get to some level of understanding,” Hill said. “Look, he’ll be a candidate if he wants in ’28…”
Nichols then asked if he would welcome him on the team when the Summer Games move to L.A.
“Oh yeah,” Hill said. “One thing I’ve learned. You can’t take anything personal in this role. And so, I haven’t personalized anything. My goal, my objective is to win. As soon as hopefully that happens, we pivot and start looking ahead to the future.”
Team USA had a spot open after Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard left the team. Brown appeared like a logical fill-in, especially after starring for a Celtics team that won 80 games (including) playoffs and earning both the Eastern Conference championship and NBA Finals MVP awards. But Celtics guard Derrick White ended up making the team instead.
Brown has made critical comments of Nike in the past, with Matt Dolloff of 98.5 The Sports Hub giving a breakdown. He has been on the record saying he believes Nike, an official partner of Team USA, played a part in him not being part of the team. The first notable response came via X.
Hill said the following when asked about the snub.
Ben Golliver @BenGolliver
USA Basketball’s Grant Hill on Jaylen Brown’s posts apparently suggesting Nike was behind his Olympic snub: “For a good portion of my career, I wore Fila. That was supposed to be a joke. We’re proud of our partners, obviously. … This is about putting together a team.” pic.twitter.com/Oh7LvSaUCW
Brown had this to say on X the next day.
And Brown said a week after the decision to add White that he believed Nike had a role in the snub, per Jared Weiss and Alex Andrejev of The Athletic: “I do for sure. There will be more stuff to come with that. As of now, I’m not gonna comment on it.”
Five days later, Brown added this:
Jaylen Brown @FCHWPO
Anyone who voices that sports and politics aren’t synonymous is lying to you and themselves it starts in grassroots with our youth for example
Dan Patrick Show @dpshow
Team USA Men’s Basketball Managing Director Grant Hill details the decision to replace Kahwi Leonard with Derrick White instead of Jaylen Brown. pic.twitter.com/bCIphs3udn
“I spoke to (Brown’s) agent. I don’t know if that was before or after things went out on Twitter,” Hill said (h/t Justin Leger of NBC Sports Boston).
“But yeah, I think this idea that there’s a conspiracy theory — I always love a good conspiracy theory, but it was really truly a basketball decision and these are tough decisions. But having gone through this with the FIBA competition, you want to find the right balance and the right pieces on the court that we needed.”
Brown took umbrage with the conspiracy theory line.
Jaylen Brown @FCHWPO
grant hill calling me a conspiracy theorist is disappointing I’ve been a VP since I was 21 years old I have a great understanding
Ultimately, Brown was left off despite standing on the NBA mountaintop after the season ended, while three of his teammates (White, Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday) joined Team USA.
As for the squad, it’s rolling toward a fifth straight gold medal. Team USA has outscored its four opponents by 99 points thus far and will now face Serbia in the semifinals on Thursday.
