Jayson Tatum discusses his Team USA future after Olympics benching
Jan 4, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during warm ups prior to the against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
Jayson Tatum did not have the best Olympic experience, and he discussed how it might impact his feelings toward playing for Team USA again in 2028.
Tatum admitted that the 2024 Olympics had been a “humbling” experience as he spent two games out of the rotation completely for matchup reasons. He made clear, however, that he was thrilled to be part of a team that won a gold medal, but simultaneously said he would have to think about his Team USA future.
“It was a tough personal experience on the court, but I’m not going to make any decision off emotions,” Tatum said, via Brian Windhorst of ESPN. “If you asked me right now if I was going to play in 2028 — it is four years from now and I [would have] to take time and think about that. So I’m not going to make any decision based off how this experience was or how I felt individually.”
Coach Steve Kerr took a lot of heat for his handling of Tatum, and the Boston Celtics star acknowledged that he received plenty of backing from back home. Tatum admitted many people told him to use the experience as fuel, but that was not necessarily helpful in the moment.
Tatum did play 11 minutes in the gold medal game, where he contributed two points and three rebounds. He also wasn’t the only Team USA star to be in and out of the rotation.
