Jayson Tatum on Olympic benching: ‘it’s challenging,’ unsure about Olympic future
Jayson Tatum is now a two-time Olympic gold medalist, but he says the Olympic experience was challenging because of the DNPs. Now he says he’s unsure about returning in 2028. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal and Tom Westerholm discuss the Olympic impact on Tatum, how he might use this as motivation, why he seems more sad than mad, and why this is all great for Joe Mazzulla (who was right, by the way) and the Boston Celtics.
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39 Comments
I think he will come back because I expect KD, Lebron, and Steph to not be on the team in 2028. They will either retire or almost retire. He will be one of those guys one day, don't worry.
The only way I see JT playing again for Team USA is because the Olympics are in the USA. But we shall see. No way he plays on the World Cup team in 2027
I honestly don't know why a NBA player would want to be in the Olympics. You go into it knowing that you are expected to win by pretty much everyone. If you win you were suppose to and if you lose you are going to have a flood of negativity about how you failed and that will only go away once another US team wins. I get that winning a gold medal would be an awesome thing for the players but I truly think an Olympic lose hurts your legacy a lot more than an Olympic win helps it.
Tatum sat because LeBron and Durant received priority. We wouldn't know for sure if he could have played better than LeBron or Durant, since he was asked to do different things, but Kerr either trusts LeBron and Durant more or is too hesitant to disrupt the hierarchy within the team. I mean, Tatum was the second-best player in Tokyo, and he had to take a backseat to Anthony Edwards and Bam Adebayo. This isn't to say those guys played badly. Something was definitely going on behind the scenes, and it wasn't all about basketball. I'm sure he's upset, but he's in a no-win situation whatever he says. People will keep on clowning him for the events of the past few months. It would be better for him to shut off the outside noise, and concentrate on becoming better and winning back-to-back. He doesn't need any additional motivation, but if this experience makes him even more motivated, then Steve Kerr did Joe Mazzulla a favor. Side note: knowing what we know now, aren't we all glad Jaylen Brown wasn't on the team?
I feel bad for Tatum because he has made all these sacrifices to contribute to winning, but just because he's going along that doesn't mean he's isn't ultra-competitive. I'm certain he still wants to get MVP and Finals MVP apart from another title. I don't think he will sit in 2028, by that time he will likely demand a prominent role on the team, since there will be no one who will have a comparable resume, unless any combo of LeBron, Curry, Durant, or Davis will come back, or somehow Anthony Edwards or some other younger player like Ja Morant will have finally earned all the hype.
Are you old enough to remember rocky point????
He was inKerrect not to play Tatum more,inKerrseavable, kerrn’t believe it
You Boston fans still crying about this
He was late to training camp because his kid was born guys. It wasn’t be cause he was partying.
Horrible commentary
I wouldn’t be so worried about Kerr. I hear Spoelstra will be coaching next Olympics… bad news for Tatum; you know how Spoelstra & the Heat deal with players and or families who complain? they get traded. So unless Tatum becomes a stone cold shot maker they’ll just go after role players who can rebound, screen, and pass and who’s families won’t get involved
And no one excels taking non-stars and getting them to play like stars than Spoelstra
In hindsight, JB wasn't missing anything. JB had the better summer than JT. It sucked for Hali too. They give up their summers for stupid Kerr politics. Lets just focus on Banner 19! 🏆
Tom you’re recalling it incorrectly; Tatum came late and joined team USA for the friendlies but he was handed the starting spot. Problem was he played bad & lost it. Tatum could have prevented all of this if he would have just played better.
Also, how come Celtics fans aren’t pissed Derrick White got a DNP for the gold medal game?
The major change to team USA needs to be coaching wise.
4 years is a long time from now who knows how he’ll feel by then but If kerrs there I highly doubt Tatum will be!
I mean, who do Celtics fans think Tatum should’ve played over? Durant? LeBron? Anthony Davis? Devin Booker was a star capable of down-shifting to a high-efficiency, low-volume role. Tatum was not. Kerr couldn’t afford him starting 0-4 in single elimination.
If I was Tatum I would not play becuase to be truthful I don't think they will win in 2028. A lost will hurt his legacy. I'm more concerned about the team chemistry within the Celtics organization. I would be pissed that the last man added played more than me. His summer was to be of joy, happiness, and a celebration. I feels so bad for him.
You guys are such crybabies. This is one of the dvmbest takes I've heard. Olympics has always been about assembling the best of the best. Why would recruit someone not as good as a "Tatum"? 😂 This bald guy needs to wear 🤡 clown make up for his emotion immaturity. This dude can not be objective if someone offered him a set of full grown hair. Wouldnt you rather have a Tatum as back up in case you do need him than not have him but need him. This applies to the NBA as well, including the celtics. 🤣
Jayson Tatum is the second best player on the Celtics that's why he didn't get much playing time. Point Blank
I never really get where all the hate came from about the Celtics and their fanbase around the league but I think I know why. You guys are just a bunch of crybabies. 😂 2023 and 2022 choke really messed you guys up huh? Win or lose, you guys stay crying. 😭
Do it again Jason Tatum,if Kerr will coach d u s team don't go let someone fuck Kerr,that's bullshit
I don't think a few empty words from Steve Kerr would smooth anything over at this point like Tom is alluding to. Rumors are Kerr is done anyways but if Kerr is still here it's a nonstarter for Tatum. There is no way Tatum would have faith in Kerr to give him a fair chance. Kerr prioritized everyone else on the team (except Haliburton) and there is nothing that would stop him from doing it again in 2028 if Kerr is still here.
Perhaps LeBron James’ son Bronny would represent the United States at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Jayson Tatum is being diplomatic but for him to play zero, for someone at his level especially after winning the NBA Championship, is nonsense. Why ask a star player to give up his entire summer if you are not going to play him? Yes, I am sure Jayson has fun in practices, hanging out with the star teammates, being at the Olympics and the enjoying the games he did play in. However I am sure he is embarrassed and furious at Steve Kerr.
Jayson Tatum needs the ball to do what he can do and that was not going to happen with LBJ, Curry, Durant on the floor. He needs to be the focal point on any team to be successful at this point in his career. He, Edwards and Haliburton have to realize this was not their time. Perhaps if he had been there on day one and in the gym before everybody James would have had to have a different role, who knows. So step up JT, hopefully you , JB and Co will bring it on home in LA.
Addendum: If you think about it Kerr's choice was a no brainer. Two of the player's won championships with him as coach and the other one saw them for years a whole lot so they knew each others games very well and this woulld include Booker who became the three and D guy he may soon be becoming permanently. The others besides the 2 guards who didn't see much time are role players anyway and one was LBJ's teammate. Embiid is in a whole category by himself.
Ty Kerr!
Tatum doesn't look like a top 10 American so he might not even get asked
Nothing is guaranteed on team USA… unless you’re Embiid and you get a guaranteed starting spot for choosing USA. But shout out to him because he balled tf out towards the end of ghetto tournament
I disagree that nothing was given to Lebron. I remember back then.
After this year’s debacle, and not just Kerr’s nonsense, I hope a lot of them turn down an opportunity to play. The Olympics have become a joke and embarrassment. Thanks John & Tom! #IGCOGFY
WRONG.JAYSON WILL NEVER PLAY AT THE OLIMPLYCS AFTER THE EMBARESMENT THAT IDIOT MAKE HIM GO THROUGH,HES DONE WITH THE OLIMPICS.AND HE WILL BE STUPID IF HE GOES BACK. THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO WHAT KER DID TO HIM.THIS IS A CELTICS PODCAST? AND INSTEAD OF SUPORTING JAYSON AND BE FAIR YOU FIND EXCUSES FOR EVIL STUPID KER??WTF THERE IS NO TEAM ON PLANET EARTH THAT JAYSON WILL NOT PLAY
Steve Kerr has not played players a lot, he brought Steph Curry, Looney, Draymond, Klay, Wiggins, and Kaminga off the bench, and have not played them, he also has given players the nights off! Why does everybody act like this is something new for Steve Kerr? Steve Kerr has nearly 10 championships as a player and coach. Why do people act like he doesn't know what he's doing? He Wins! Why do people feel like they need to coach the coach? I mean, he's been under Greg Popovich, and Phil Jackson some of the winningest talented coaches and players ever, I mean my God even Michael Jordan trusted him to take the last shot. Can anyone imagine that he saw something not right; when did he become incompetent?
To the Celtics fans : what do you think of your organization for not having signed Gershon Yabusele after seeing him dominate so much in these Olympics ?
A dear HS friend just told me that Steve Kerr went to my HS. We just missed each other by 1 year. Small world. Jeannie Buss too.
Tatum just won an NBA title, got a contract extension worth over 300 mil, and got an Olympic gold medal! Sounds like he is having a great summer! This man needs to count his blessings!
I agree with you on they don’t need to bring all superstar players but the stars want to come because it pushes there brands
NBA/ Nike politics…. even though Tatum is a nike guy, there clearly was a pecking order. Lebron was set up to win. look at his minutes and winning the MVP which should have went to Curry in my opinion. Like you guys stated, it was his last run, I guess good for the league. But JT was done unfairly. I hope JT drops 80 on golden state and the lakers… JT take this and let it burn you to greater greatness…. mamba mentality. I'm not even a Celtic fan…I live in NYC, but I didn't like the how he was treated, JT deserved better being this year's champ.
Tatum was 2nd highest scorer in Tokyo, just behind KD. Yet gets DNP-CD in Paris 🤷♀️
Jayson Tatum and Jalen brown should go play for Canada in the next Olympics! And Tatum could be the only person to win gold for two different countries! That would be CRAZY WORK
I'm a non-American Celtics fanatic, but as much as I get the point and I also obviously disagree with Kerr's decision, the media and the rest of us fans bickering about it is totally not helping JT at all. We are being selfish expressing our thoughts heavily about this while JT gets the brunt of the "outside" world who don't really give a crap about our Celtics and think he is not a team player, cos obviously all the noise we are generating about it is gonna be viewed as JT's own public thoughts about all of this, and that he is focusing more on his playing time than his team.
Goodness, Team USA won the gold!! This is much ado about nothing! And it doesn't help JT and his already heavily target rep. Just take the Gold, Americans! Cherish it! It ain't the NBA!