Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown has made his dissatisfaction known regarding the recent decision by USA Basketball to replace Kawhi Leonard with Derrick White for the upcoming Paris Olympics. His remarks specifically targeted Grant Hill, the managing director of Team USA, who explained the decision as a matter of team dynamics and guard depth.
Hill elaborated on the selection process, highlighting the significant need for strong point-of-attack defense and guard depth, which Derrick White adequately fills. “Derrick White might be the second best in the world at point-of-attack defense,” Grant Hill stated, underscoring the rationale behind White's selection. This decision was not without controversy, as Jaylen Brown was notably absent from the men's national team roster.
Brown took to social media, hinting that his exclusion might have been influenced by Nike, a major sponsor of USA Basketball. This speculation reached its peak during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas on July 15, where Brown reiterated his belief that corporate interests played a role in his exclusion from the national team. "I do, for sure. There will be more stuff to come with that, but, as of now, I'm not going to comment on it," said Brown, teasing further revelations on this matter.
Grant Hill, aiming to quell rumors of external influences, defended the team's decision-making process: “I don't know if that was before or after things went out on Twitter. But yeah, I mean, 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.” Hill emphasized that building a balanced team often involves making hard choices, even when it means leaving out players he personally admires. “You get 12 spots, and you have to build a team. And one of the hardest things is leaving people off the roster that I'm a fan of, that I look forward to watching throughout the season, throughout the playoffs,” Hill added.
The selection process encountered several challenges, including Kevin Durant’s absence from the initial training camp due to a calf injury and Jayson Tatum arriving late. “I'm glad you brought that up. So, you know, we went to training camp, and we didn't have KD -- Kevin Durant, sort of coming back from a calf injury. And then Jayson Tatum was late for arrival, he didn't show up the first two or three days,” Hill detailed.
Despite these hiccups, the coaching staff gained valuable insights during their time in Las Vegas. “We kind of stumbled upon something. We learned something about our group during those four days in Vegas,” Hill remarked. He believes that their experiences during this period played a crucial role in shaping the final roster for the Olympics. The experimentation with pairing Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis also contributed to the ultimate decision-making process.
Grant Hill remains steadfast in his belief that the choices made were based on solid basketball logic. “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,” Hill explained. He reaffirmed that the priority was constructing a team with the best possible chemistry and the necessary skill sets to compete against the world’s best in Paris.
As the debate continues, it remains clear that USA Basketball's selection process is driven by more than just individual talent. With the Olympics approaching, the focus will be on whether the decisions made will pay dividends on the international stage.