Bucks' Jennings says shoe contract may be reason for not making Team USA

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MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Bucks’ guard Brandon Jennings says he might have gotten snubbed for the U.S. national basketball team because he doesn’t endorse Nike products.

He told Yahoo Sports that half of Team USA’s roster is connected with the Nike swoosh. And as Jennings put it, “I’m not saying it’s a Nike thing, but Nike is kind of running a lot of things right now.”

Jennings endorses Under Armour and quote, “To have a guy like myself on the USA team that’s flashy and really outgoing, you don’t want Under Armour to get all that publicity. I’m just telling you how it is.”

Jennings fell short of being the NBA’s rookie of the year last season – but he caused a national buzz all year long after scoring 55 points against Golden State in only his seventh NBA contest last November. Team USA won the gold medal at the world championships last weekend – and they received an automatic invitation to the 2012 Olympics.

The head of USA Basketball says it’s not true that Jennings was kept off the national team because he doesn’t wear Nike. Jerry Colangelo told Sports Illustrated there’s quote, “no credence” to what Jennings told Yahoo Sports – that he wasn’t invited to audition for Team USA because he endorses Under Armour products. Colangelo’s denial was relayed by an SI reporter on Twitter. Jennings told Yahoo that half of the U.S. roster wears Nike and quote, “To have a guy like myself on the USA team that’s flashy and really outgoing, you don’t want Under Armour to get all that publicity.” Under Armour has not commented.

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