Jaylen Brown was an intriguing candidate to replace Kawhi Leonard on Team USA's Olympic roster when the Los Angeles Clippers star decided to opt out. Instead, Brown's Boston Celtics teammate Derrick White was added as the replacement. So what does Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens think about the Team USA decision?
“Jaylen's a great player. I don't think there's any doubt that Jaylen could be on any team, any Olympic team in any year,” Stevens said, via Bobby Manning of CLNS Media. “But at the end of the day, his approach, he talked about how he called Derrick, he talked about his own feelings … whether he has success, or he gets all the accolades, like Finals MVP or eastern conference finals MVP, or he feels like he got left off the team.
“He's going to be motivated and hungry regardless. That's what I've always loved about him. He always goes back to work.”
Brown led the Celtics in the NBA postseason along with Jayson Tatum. Tatum is often regarded as the Celtics best player but it was Brown who won the NBA Finals MVP Award. There is no question that Brown could have played for Team USA in 2024.
Nevertheless, it was White who was ultimately selected as Leonard's replacement. White is a talented player as well, as he enjoyed a breakout 2023-24 season. Still, Brown is one of the best players in the entire NBA. Perhaps he will use the snub as motivation for the upcoming 2024-25 campaign.
Jaylen Brown is a superstar
Brown, 27, has been considered one of the best secondary stars in the league over the past few years. He took a step forward in the 2024 postseason, however, proving he can lead a championship team.
He had plenty of help from Tatum, White, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and the rest of the roster. Boston would not have played as well as they did without Brown, though.
Brown is a three-time NBA All-Star. He is a quality scorer who can finish at the basket and also has the ability to connect on the three-ball. Brown is also a respectable defensive presence. His versatility makes him a reliable superstar at the NBA level.
Team USA features no shortage of talent. They are the favorite in the Olympics despite Jaylen Brown's absence. With that being said, having a player like Brown on the team would have only increased their chances of winning.
At the very least, Brown will get to rest and recover following the Celtics' 2024 NBA championship run. Playing deep into June is exciting but also exhausting. One has to imagine that Jaylen Brown will be more than ready for the 2024-25 season as he rests and prepares for the new campaign.
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