Jayson Tatum Opens Up About 'Challenging' Benching at Paris Olympics
By Joe Lago
Nearly three weeks after winning a second Olympic gold medal, Jayson Tatum has had time to reflect on his experience at the Paris Games.
In other words, the Boston Celtics star has had time to decompress and really come to grips with his limited playing time on Team USA and the furor over his omission from head coach Steve Kerr's rotation.
“It was a lot. In the age of social media, you see everything,” Tatum told The Athletic's Jared Weiss. “You see all the tweets and the people on the podcasts and people on TV giving their opinion on whether they thought it was a good decision or it was an outrageous decision or whatever.
"Obviously, I wanted to contribute more, and I’ve never been in (this) situation. I started playing basketball at (age) 3 at the YMCA, and I’ve never not played, so it was different and it was challenging.”
With a stacked United States roster featuring All-Stars and former MVPs, someone was going to have to sit once the Olympic tournament knockout rounds began. Tatum and Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton were the casualties in a numbers game, or what Kerr called a "math problem."
The calculations of Kerr and his staff had Tatum, a first-team All-NBA selection the last three seasons, stuck on the bench for both games against Serbia, including a 95-91 semifinal victory in which the Americans trailed by 17 points before rallying behind LeBron James and a late Steph Curry 3-point flurry.
In USA's six games, Tatum logged just 71 minutes and averaged 5.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists, well below his 2023-24 NBA season averages of 26.9 points, 8.1 boards and 4.9 assists.
“I wasn’t moping around. I didn’t have an attitude. I wasn’t angry at the world," Tatum said. “I stayed ready and did what was asked of me and I won a gold medal, right?”
Tatum admitted that a shooting slump which began in the NBA playoffs followed him to France, where he missed all four of his 3-point attempts and shot just 38.1% from the field.
“I have two (gold medals) now, I have a championship, and everything doesn’t necessarily go the way you expect it to go, right?” Tatum said. “I’ve learned to be like, ‘OK, that’s a part of it.’ You move on, and I’m getting ready to enjoy the last little weeks I have before the season starts and get ready for another season.”
Tatum hasn't indicated that his Paris Olympics benching will affect his commitment to Team USA. The 26-year-old will still be in the prime of his career when the 2028 Los Angeles Games begin.
Also, Kerr reportedly is not expected to continue as U.S. head coach, possibly giving way to one of his assistants, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra or Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue.
“I’m always a glass-half-full type of guy,” Tatum said. “I always believe everything happens for a reason and whatever that is, I don’t know yet. But I’m certain I’ll find out.”