Grant Hill has dismissed accusations of favoritism towards Nike athletes on Team USA amid Jaylen Brown’s recent tweet.
Kawhi Leonard, the Los Angeles Clippers superstar, opted out of his Team USA debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
USA Basketball confirmed Leonard’s withdrawal, citing his focus on the upcoming NBA season.
In his place, Team USA has chosen Derrick White, fresh from winning the NBA championship with the Boston Celtics.
This will be White’s second stint with Team USA, having previously competed in the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
Brown, White’s teammate on the Celtics and former Adidas athlete, voiced his disappointment on social media.
“@nike this what we doing?” Brown tweeted, implying Nike’s influence in player selection.
Hill, USA Basketball National Team Managing Director, addressed the controversy in a press conference.
“For a good portion of my career, I wore FILA. That was supposed to be a joke,” Hill remarked, per Michael Scotto.
“We’re proud of our partners at USA Basketball. This is about putting together a team… Whatever theories might be out there, they’re just that.”
Brown, previously associated with Adidas, has raised similar concerns about sponsorship and team selection.
This issue has surfaced previously, including before the 2023 FIBA World Cup when Trae Young, an Adidas athlete, was not selected for Team USA. Gilbert Arenas saw it as Nike favouring their players on the national team.
