JB and the Olympics

[Roy H.]

I would have preferred that JB get Kawhi's spot over D. White, but I understand the decision.  Team USA was going for team-building rather than picking the biggest names. 

JB apparently doesn't seem to agree that the decision was a reasonable one.  After his originally cryptic post (🧐🧐🧐) JB seemingly bought into some of the conspiracy theories floating out there, namely that him being left off the team was due to his public criticism of Nike (after they fired Kyrie).  Nike is sponsoring the team, and the conspiracy theory is that they've ensured that both Brown and Kyrie are excluded.  JB leaned into this, posting

@nike this what we doing?

https://twitter.com/FCHWPO/status/1811149549827936563

I guess my question is, why?  Why make his disappointment very public, particularly when his own teammate got the spot?  At the very least, JB is telling the world that Derrick White's spot isn't deserved.  Why not just keep the beef private?  Or, if you're going to go public, do it with a thought out post or a Player's Tribune article or something.  The semi-cryptic one-liners are what I expect from a gamey teenage girl on social media, not a VP in the Player's Association.

[Alleyoopster]

We all have thoughts that would be considered inappropriate. Most of us are wise enough to keep those to ourselves or share only with someone we know won't repeat it.


Sharing those inner thoughts via texts, emails or on social media sites are  not a good idea. Athletes and other celebrities who openly express themselves will get criticized or praised depending on the audience.

[jambr380]

While I agree that this could make things uncomfortable in the short-term, I'd be upset if I were Jaylen. The replacement is for Kawhi (who Jaylen is much more similar to) and it was already a little awkward that Jaylen wasn't on the team in the first place.

I am a much bigger White fan than Jaylen fan, but it is pretty disrespectful to leave him off and put two of his inferior teammates on the team ahead of him - especially after he just won FMVP. The team could have added any one of us and the team would have still cruised to a gold medal. It was an easy choice to add Jaylen and it's almost like Grant Hill is trying to cause a controversy by putting his teammate on over him. I don't know if any of the Nike stuff is true, but it's still a peculiar decision.

I don't blame Jaylen for his response. It's not like he went off on how much White sucks or anything.

[Vermont Green]

None of this makes any sense to me.  Brown seems like the obvious choice for the team, if it is based purely on merit.  They already had 3 PG/Combo Guards (Curry, Haliburton, Holiday).  Adding White wasn't filling a need.  Brown seemed to me to fit the need better.

So why was he passed over?  It certainly seemed like he wanted play on the team.

As to Brown posting, I would tell all these athletes to not post things like this but in the big scheme of things, Brown's posts are pretty benign.  But pretty much any post is going to be subject to criticism.  There is no need for Brown to post.

I had one theory that it is Kerr and Spoelstra trying to mess with the Celtics.  If they get into Brown's head, maybe it leads to some team dissention or something.  Or it could be Nike exerting influence.  It has to be something.

[bdm860]

I guess my question is, why?  Why make his disappointment very public, particularly when his own teammate got the spot?  At the very least, JB is telling the world that Derrick White's spot isn't deserved.  Why not just keep the beef private?  Or, if you're going to go public, do it with a thought out post or a Player's Tribune article or something.  The semi-cryptic one-liners are what I expect from a gamey teenage girl on social media, not a VP in the Player's Association.

I actually think a Players Tribune article would be more cringe, like "you really just spent hours/days putting together 1500 words talking about how you feel disrespected?" It would probably come off petty and be remembered like Michael Jordan's HoF speech.  And this is Jaylen we're talking about here, who some see as Kyrie-lite, who knows what he might write about when peeved (some conspiracy theories about James Naismith Neismith not inventing basketball along with some pro-Kyrie, pro-Kanye takes).

With a tweet or two, I think it's a quick blow off of steam, and then you move on.

I do wish he said something positive about White though, something simple like, "Happy for my man White, but wondering where my spot is at."

[Kernewek]

None of this makes any sense to me.  Brown seems like the obvious choice for the team, if it is based purely on merit.  They already had 3 PG/Combo Guards (Curry, Haliburton, Holiday).  Adding White wasn't filling a need.  Brown seemed to me to fit the need better.

So why was he passed over?  It certainly seemed like he wanted play on the team.

As to Brown posting, I would tell all these athletes to not post things like this but in the big scheme of things, Brown's posts are pretty benign.  But pretty much any post is going to be subject to criticism.  There is no need for Brown to post.

I had one theory that it is Kerr and Spoelstra trying to mess with the Celtics.  If they get into Brown's head, maybe it leads to some team dissention or something.  Or it could be Nike exerting influence.  It has to be something.

Eh - anyone who gives airtime to the Naismith theories is probably not just dabbling with 'benign' stuff.

edit: as per usual, I agree with bdm's post.

[Donoghus]

If anything, slights tend to a light a fire under JB's butt and motivate him.

Celtics just won a title but both JB & JT still have legit chips on their shoulders.  Gotta love that.

[footey]

JB got his feeling hurt, but should have handled this privately.  Or just let it go.

[jpotter33]

Agreed that he should?ve handled this privately, particularly given that it was his own teammate that got the selection. It?s one thing to voice this displeasure if someone like Fox or Ingram made it over him, but it?s a terrible look when you?re essentially shading your own teammate in the process, especially one you just won the title with.

That said, I think it?s clearly a thing about fit and playing time over anything else. With how much it looks like they?re going to play the legacy guys and particularly the forwards (regardless if the younger guys are seemingly better fits on the court), I don?t think there?s going to be much playing time for either White or JB. And I bet the thought process is that White won?t be disgruntled with that, where a star coming off a Finals/ECF MVP run may not be cool with that. I also think they want another defensive stopping guard.

[Vermont Green]

None of this makes any sense to me.  Brown seems like the obvious choice for the team, if it is based purely on merit.  They already had 3 PG/Combo Guards (Curry, Haliburton, Holiday).  Adding White wasn't filling a need.  Brown seemed to me to fit the need better.

So why was he passed over?  It certainly seemed like he wanted play on the team.

As to Brown posting, I would tell all these athletes to not post things like this but in the big scheme of things, Brown's posts are pretty benign.  But pretty much any post is going to be subject to criticism.  There is no need for Brown to post.

I had one theory that it is Kerr and Spoelstra trying to mess with the Celtics.  If they get into Brown's head, maybe it leads to some team dissention or something.  Or it could be Nike exerting influence.  It has to be something.

Eh - anyone who gives airtime to the Naismith theories is probably not just dabbling with 'benign' stuff.

edit: as per usual, I agree with bdm's post.

I was referring only to these recent posts as being benign.  I don't know about the rest.  And yes, I agree, a shout out to White would have been nice.  No tweet at all would have been even better.

[SHAQATTACK]

He should be happy for D White who has to play second fiddle to the stars . Dwhite has EARNED the position he ll play with the team ?.same as Holiday ?.facilitating the already over crowding of MVP s with play making and defense. 

Brown will have his chance 100% , and play with Whinny and Flagg and that crowd , he can be the new LeBrown .

[angryguy77]

This isn't a good look. He's mad because he believes it's political. He can still preach about Gaza while giving DW props for being selected. He doesn't have to start his own war.


We don't need distractions, and this will be one. I just hope it's not going to lead to bad feelings in the locker room. They have one of the best shots of any recent champ to repeat, he needs to be focused on that.

 

[jpotter33]

https://x.com/fchwpo/status/1811431665878888779?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

I?m not afraid of you or your resources

Ugh, this is becoming a whole thing, isn?t it?

[Roy H.]

https://x.com/fchwpo/status/1811431665878888779?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

I?m not afraid of you or your resources

Ugh, this is becoming a whole thing, isn?t it?

It's going to get amplified.  SAS is already after him:

Do y?all believe me now? Yo
@FCHWPO
, do I need to reveal my sources now? Is it not obvious now? How in the hell is a $300M man ? now a champion and an NBA Finals MVP? who?s clearly a top-two player on the
@celtics
 and a Top-15 player in the world, NOT chosen for Team-USA? B/c his teammate NOT named Tatum is selected before him? Come on y?all!!!

[keevsnick]

I really, truly, don't understand the argument that the White pick was about team building.

The USA picked 12 guys to be on the team, it was basically 11 All NBA guys + Jrue. There didn't seem to be a lot of team building consideration in those picks, no focus on floor spacing, low usage roles players, or defensive specialists. Now Kawhi can't go an suddenly the 12th spot, literally the last one, needs to be a "fit" guy? If you're worried about fit build the actual team with that consideration. But also: I think its pretty obvious Brown is a great fit anyway since he was literally just one of the two best guys on a champion largely through two-way play.

I have no problem with the White pick, he's deserving. But it should have been Brown and he's right to feel a way about it. Personally I think its a good thing, when Brown feels slighted or overlooked he up's his game. We're gonna get top-10 Brown next year.