Nike Clap Back at Jaylen Brown: ‘Nothing Childish About 'Em’

Nike have weighed in on the drama surrounding Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo. After Giannis dropped a monster game, Nike posted ‘Nothing childish about ‘em. 59 for the Greek freak’ on X, a statement that carried more than a hint of side-eye towards Brown.

During a game on November 10 between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, Celtics forward Jaylen Brown and Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo became entangled in a tense moment. Giannis elbowed Brown in the face while attempting a layup, resulting in an offensive foul. As they ran back down the court, Giannis offered a hand to Brown as if to apologise, then pulled it back in a playful ‘too slow’ move, smiling as he did it. After the game, Brown addressed this incident, stating, ‘Giannis is a child. I'm just focused on helping my team get a win, and that's what we did tonight.’

The tit for tat with Nike continued after their provocative post. In reply to Nike's post, Brown commented, ‘Y'all got weird energy,’ highlighting the ongoing tensions between him and the company. It’s been an acrimonious relationship to say the least. In 2022, Jaylen openly criticised Nike’s decision to cut ties with Kyrie Irving following his endorsement of a controversial documentary, questioning, ‘Since when did Nike care about ethics?’ In 2024, he took aim again, voicing his frustration on social media after being passed over for Team USA in favour of his Celtics teammate, Derrick White, implying Nike might have played a role in the selection.

For more on the major sneaker storylines of the 2024–25 NBA season, make sure to check out our in-depth breakdown.