Jaylen Brown fires back at Nike over ‘childish’ Giannis reference originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
It’s safe to say that Nike’s energy is no about to change
The Jaylen Brown vs. Nike saga continued Thursday after the sports brand took a not-so-subtle shot at the Celtics star on social media. Nike shaded Brown by acknowledging Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 59-point game against the Detroit Pistons.
“Nothing childish about them. 59 for the Greek freak,” Nike Basketball posted on the X platform.
That is a reference to Brown calling Antetokounmpo “childish” for his antics in Sunday’s Celtics-Bucks game. The two-time MVP elbowed Brown in the face attempting a layout, then faked a handshake after the two exchanged words.
Brown fired back with a blunt message for the brand.
“Yall got a weird energy,” he replied.
The beef between Brown and Nike dates back to 2022, when the three-time All-Star called the company because of hypocrisy about its ethics. Brown’s relationship with Nike further soured when he was left off USA Basketball’s 2024 Olympics roster, a snub for which he believes the brand was at least partially responsible.
Brown responded with releasing a song named after Nike’s iconic tagline, “Just Do It.” He too launched his own performance brand and signature shoe, “741”, which he hopes will one day rival the sportswear giant.
Nike has already lit a fire under Brown to keep him motivated after his 2024 NBA championship. There is little doubt that its latest dig will add some fuel to the fire as he looks to lead Boston in its quest for a repeat.
