In a surprising turn, NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown took to Twitter to voice his displeasure over his teammate Derrick White being chosen to replace Kawhi Leonard on the men's Olympic National Basketball Team. Brown's tweet, a succinct four-word message, "@nike this what we doing ?," subtly pointed fingers at the sportswear giant for influencing the decision.
@nike this what we doing ?
The decision to replace Kawhi Leonard with Derrick White, who had to withdraw due to injury concerns, has raised eyebrows among fans and analysts. Many questioned whether White was the best available option for Team USA. Brown's reaction suggests that Nike's influence might have influenced the selection process.
This criticism is not without context. Jaylen has been a longstanding sneaker free-agent as well as anti-Nike. The tension between Jaylen Brown and Nike dates back to 2022 when Nike decided to cut ties with Brown's then-teammate, Kyrie Irving, following a series of controversies. Brown has previously expressed his disapproval of Nike's handling of Irving's situation and questioned Nike's ethics as an organization. Jaylen has went as far as wearing Swooshless Nikes on court. This background adds weight to Brown's current accusations, indicating a long-standing grievance with the sports apparel giant.
Since when did Nike care about ethics?
Nike founder Phil Knight says Kyrie Irving ‘stepped over the line’ when the Nets player shared an antisemitic film on Twitter. Irving's annual endorsement earnings from Nike were worth at least $11 million before the company cut ties. marketwatch.com/story/nikes-ph…
Brown's public call-out has added another layer to the ongoing discussion about corporate influence in sports. Given Nike's significant role in sports marketing and sponsorship, such allegations, even if subtle, carry substantial weight. The NBA star's comments have reignited debates about the integrity of decisions made by sports organizations and the potential sway held by major sponsors like Nike.
Cole Townsend is a developer, designer, and Head of Tech at Sole Retriever. He does some writing on top of helping keep Sole Retriever running on web and mobile! In his spare time, you can find him out running. Cole was a graduate from Williams College.
