Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum might have let his feelings boil over and get the very best of him.
The four-time All-NBA choice, contemporary off main the Celtics to an NBA title, was benched by Crew USA head coach Steve Kerr in two out of six video games on the Olympics. Tatum enjoying sparingly within the different contests.
Not many would have blamed Tatum if he gave an earful to Kerr, who confronted a great quantity of criticism from seemingly in all places for holding one of many NBA’s prime gamers sidelined on a star-filled staff.
However Tatum stated he did not confront Kerr over the shortage of enjoying time and as a substitute put Crew USA over his particular person wants en path to profitable his second gold medal Saturday in Paris.
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“No. I simply stayed an expert,” Tatum instructed reporters, per The Boston Globe’s Tara Sullivan. “I got here to work each day. Simply keep prepared. We acquired nice guys on this staff and when you really feel such as you should play and the competitor in you needs to play, as a coach for a cause he makes these selections. Your job as a participant is to remain prepared each time your quantity is known as.”
Seeing how issues performed out on the Celtics this season needed to have helped the 6-foot-8, 210-pound ahead on this scenario. Tatum appeared to adapt the mindset of the contingent of function gamers on the Celtics who hardly ever noticed the ground throughout Boston’s championship run however by no means complained — no less than not publicly — about their place on the staff.
Tatum did not play within the Olympic opener in opposition to Serbia and was benched once more within the semifinal matchup in opposition to the identical Nikola Jokic-led squad, wherein Crew USA overcame a 17-point deficit to earn a slim 95-91 win.
After his second benching, Tatum was the primary participant off Crew USA’s bench within the gold medal contest in opposition to France. However he hardly made an affect in his 11 minutes on the court docket within the 98-87 victory. He shot 1-for-3 from the sphere for 2 factors and grabbed three rebounds.
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Tatum stated he will not let what occurred throughout the Olympics affect his resolution to play within the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. However this absolutely could not have been what Tatum had in thoughts when he signed up in pursuit of a gold medal.
“It was difficult,” Tatum stated. “I can not lie. It was difficult. Particularly after the expertise of the best of the best profitable a championship, after which put in a brand new scenario the place you’ve got by no means been in that spot earlier than. However you realize, I did not wish to make it about me. I acquired an opportunity to return to work with 11 different guys I acquired nothing however love and respect for. And you realize, we gained. I am completely happy about that.”
