Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown has turned heads with a cryptic post after Team USA were forced to replaced a player on their 12-man roster.
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard was forced to withdraw due to lingering injuries he sustained last season.
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“Kawhi has been ramping up for the Olympics over the past several weeks and had a few strong practices in Las Vegas,” USA Basketball said in a statement.
“He felt ready to compete. However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers determined it’s in his best interest to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than participating in the Olympic Games in Paris.”
Things however became interesting when Leonard’s replacement was named with reports Boston Celtics guard Derrick White had earned the call up.
The decision to go with White as the 12th man seemingly didn’t sit well with fellow Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown.
Brown is coming off his best season in the NBA where he won the Finals MVP after Boston defeated the Dallas Mavericks to win the title.
After news broke that White had been selected to replace Leonard, Brown took to social media where he posted three emojis looking through a monocle.
He followed that up a few hours later with a more direct message as he wrote: “@nike this is what we doing?”
Brown later deleted the post where he targeted Nike in the wake of his Olympics snub.
While Brown has every right to be upset after being overlooked, White has earned his place with his defensive abilities likely landing him the spot.
White is an elite defensive and two-way player who earned All-Defensive team honours for a second consecutive season.
His inclusion in the 12-man squad means the Celtics have three players heading to the Olympics with White, Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday.
Team USA are chasing a fifth straight Olympic gold medal, in a run of dominance that has seen them win seven out of the past eight Olympics.
They will line up in Group C at the Olympics where they’ll go up against Puerto Rico, South Sudan and Serbia.
Group B consists of Brazil, France, Germany and Japan while Group A has Australia, Canada, Greece and Spain.
Ahead of the Olympics taking place Team USA will lock horns with Australia in Abu Dhabi with the match to take place on July 16 (AEST).
Team USA Olympic Draw
Sunday, July 29: vs Serbia
Thursday, August 1: vs South Sudan
Sunday, August 4: vs Puerto Rico
– with Erich Richter, NY Post