Jayson Tatum had his second Olympic gold medal at the recent Paris Olympics. However, he never displayed much of his best performance and is often benched or even DNP in some games. Many believe the five-time NBA All-Star isn’t fit to play with Team USA’s veterans.
NBA insider Shams Carania says otherwise. In his recent interview with ‘The Pat McAfee Show’, the reporter from Athletic and Stadium noted that Tatum’s experiences as a bench player in the recent games would drive him to do better leading the Boston Celtics or even Team USA in his career.
“I will say on Jayson Tatum. In talking to people on USA basketball over the last week, two weeks, I didn’t just gonna motivate him. I think he’s gonna be even more motivated to not only win a championship but an MVP and really take that next step in his career. I think this will be a motivating fact.”
Throughout Team USA’s games at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Tatum only averaged 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 71 minutes.
In the group stage and the semifinals, the 2024 NBA Champion went DNP on the Americans’ matches against Serbia. He was even in the starting lineup against South Sudan and Puerto Rico, yet still performed poorly.
Tatum’s unusual deployment and plays led many people to criticize the coaching staff of Team USA. Many analysts think the Steve Kerr-led coaches never enhanced the Celtics small forward to the best of their abilities, like when he was in the NBA.
In the past season of the pro basketball league, the two-time gold medalist averaged 26.9 points, a career-high season average of 4.9 assists, 8.1 rebounds, and 47.1% shooting.
Tatum’s performances in the NBA and the Olympics are a stark contrast, given the talent of one of the players shaping the next generation of American basketball players.
However, the Duke alumnus does not feel malice toward his experience. He said that even though he’s disappointed with what happened, he won’t make personal outbursts about it.
Jayson Tatum might continue to play in the upcoming Olympics.
There’s a high chance that Jayson Tatum will once again be included in Team USA’s roster for the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. So far, he’s the best and most applicable option.
The Celtics player might use the four years to improve his skills even more. As part of the new generation of NBA players, Tatum must lead Team USA in its continuing dominance on the international court.
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