Grant Hill explains why USA chose Derrick White to replace Kawhi Leonard ahead of 2024 Olympics

Grant Hill explains why USA chose Derrick White to replace Kawhi Leonard ahead of 2024 Olympics

As we’ve discussed previously, roughly 12 hours ahead of their first of five exhibitions before the 2024 Paris Olympics, USA Basketball announced that Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee inflammation) withdrew from Team USA not long after his camp reportedly expressed concern.

Not long after, it announced that his replacement would be Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, the presumptive favorite weeks before it was reported that Leonard wouldn’t play.

Welcome to the 🇺🇸 #USABMNT, @Dwhite921! pic.twitter.com/99n1S33ITO

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 10, 2024

Team USA Director Grant Hill went into the decision-making process about why White–the only non-All-Star on the team–earned the nod over others, including Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown, on Wednesday.

“You get 12 spots, and you have to build a team,” Hill said, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “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. Guys who’ve been Finals MVPs, guys who’ve been a part of the program, guys who’ve won gold medals, guys who I respect, admire and enjoy watching. But the responsibility that I have is to put together a team and a team that complements each other, a team that fits a team that will give us the best opportunity for success.“

Brown sent a pair of cryptic social media posts not long after the pick for White was announced.

🧐🧐🧐

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 10, 2024

@nike this what we doing ?

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 10, 2024

Grant Hill explains decision to send Kawhi Leonard home from Team USA

Who knows what Brown, the 2023-24 Finals MVP, meant by the tweet–most players oftentimes deny or deflect what these kinds of cryptic messages were actually about–but if it was indeed about White making it over him, it would be a weird way to react for his own teammate earning the honor.

Many theorized whether or not Jaylen Brown’s previous tweets regarding Nike, Team USA’s official sponsor, was the reason why he got snubbed. Hill shut those notions down.

“Whatever theories that might be out there, they’re just that,” he said. “But that’s my responsibility. And it’s tough. It’s tough to have conversations, tell people that they’re not on the team.

“I’m trying to win and I’m trying to put together the right pieces that fit and give us a chance to win.”

Grant Hill on Jaylen Brown’s posts suggesting Nike was behind his Olympic snub:

“For a good portion of my career, I wore FILA. That was supposed to be a joke. We’re proud of our partners at USA Basketball. This is about putting together a team… Whatever theories might be out… pic.twitter.com/BC3clySvqv

— BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) July 11, 2024

Team USA doesn’t have many players who know how to play a specific role in a loaded context. If one does, it’s Derrick White, a Swiss Army knife who’s one of the NBA’s top guard defenders.

He averaged 15.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, one steal and 1.2 blocks per game on 46.1 percent shooting, including 39.6 percent from 3-point range and 90.1 percent from the free-throw line–equating to a 61.1 true-shooting percentage.

“I’ve been a big fan of Derrick’s, obviously. He just won a championship. One of the many things that I really love about Derrick, and particularly with his team, is I don’t feel like his role changes much with our team from what he does with the Celtics,” Hill said. “He plays alongside two incredibly great young players in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. And this setting is hard when you come in and you’re the center of your universe, and now you have to establish a role, and it might be different than what you have to do with your team.

“So to have someone who can come in and play off of guys, be complementary to some others, but then also stand out and be a dynamite defensive player, knock down shots, just impact winning.”

LeBron James voted as Team USA’s best player ahead of 2024 Olympics

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