Team USA clinched the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, a victory that came as no surprise. However, what did catch basketball fans off guard was the limited court time for Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum.
Despite Jaylen Brown taking home the NBA Finals MVP trophy, Tatum played a pivotal role for the Celtics throughout the season, leading them to their 18th NBA championship. Naturally, many expected Tatum to be a key contributor for Team USA under head coach Steve Kerr.
Yet, Kerr opted to start Devin Booker, even benching Tatum for the entirety of Team USA’s opening game against Serbia. The lack of minutes impacted Tatum’s rhythm, and his performance fell short of the standard he set during the NBA season.
Still, one of the greatest winners in professional sports history, Tom Brady, praised Tatum for his team-first mentality despite the personal setback. “A true professional! A true champion! And a great teammate! We should celebrate people who care more about team success than individual success! There are so many people in every organization who don’t always play a ‘starting’ role but play a huge role in the team’s success. I have more respect for Jayson Tatum now more than ever! This is what we should be teaching our kids!” Brady commented on Instagram.
Carmelo Anthony’s take on Tatum’s situation
Former Knicks star Carmelo Anthony weighed in on Tatum’s Olympic situation during an episode of the podcast ‘7PM in Brooklyn.’ Anthony pointed a finger at Steve Kerr and the Team USA coaching staff.
“I understand why Tatum may not have played… but I don’t agree with how they went about it,” Anthony said. “I’m cool with you saying ‘he’s not gonna play.’ Just be honest, because this is where we have the lack of communication. Talk to me; you already know where you see me on this depth chart. So if I’m Tatum, I would be pissed. What he went through, I want everybody to see that. The whole world knew he was pissed, but he was resilient.”
Charles Barkley criticizes Kerr’s decision
Basketball legend and analyst Charles Barkley also took issue with Kerr’s decision, voicing his opinion on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “Everybody deserves to play at least 10 minutes,” Barkley said. “You can’t expect everybody to practice hard and then not play in the Olympics. You have to give them 10-15 minutes along the way.”