It was media day in Boston, and the first question for Jaylen Brown was about his absence from the Olympics, and therefore indirectly about his accusations against Nike. “Damn, is this the first question? I can’t even warm up a bit.” he jokes in front of journalists.
The MVP of the last Finals did not want to detail his grievances against the American equipment manufacturer, while suggesting that he could reveal the details over the course of the season… especially since he announced the launch of his own brand of shoes, 741after having refused “contracts of up to $50 million.”
Jaylen Brown wanted to be like this “full owner and exercise creative control over their own brand”. “Understanding ownership and value is what’s important for the next generation of athletes. It’s time to think differently and be different…to create new ideas. It’s time to create more value for everyone involved, from athletes to consumers to employees and the communities that support them.” he adds again.
No more hiding Nike and Adidas logos
The Boston player explains that he was inspired by Kobe Bryant, who he claims wanted to leave Nike and create his own shoe brand, just before his death.
“Kobe’s journey taught me to be fearless and to push the sport, as well as society, to new heights. That’s the mindset I bring to 741.”he continues.
But what does 741 mean? According to Complex, “The numbers 7, 4 and 1 have appeared frequently in (Jaylen Brown's) life and represent spiritual awakening, hard work and new beginnings.” …
As a reminder, Jaylen Brown had signed with Adidas when he arrived in the NBA. However, he left the German equipment manufacturer in 2021, joining Peak a year later. Except that the Chinese brand's shoes clearly didn't suit him and he had been wearing Nike and Adidas since then… whose logos he covered.
