The USA Basketball males’s staff handily beat Serbia to open up group play within the 2024 Olympics in Paris on Sunday, however the dialogue after the sport seemingly isn’t going to be as constructive because the staff possible hoped.
As a result of whereas most of Crew USA gave the impression to be having a blast throughout Sunday’s 110-84 win, one of many two members of the roster to not see the court docket for a single second appeared lower than thrilled about it.
On a staff as proficient as USA Basketball, some guys are all the time going to get fewer minutes than they really feel they deserve. Nonetheless, it appears unlikely that Jayson Tatum pictured any circumstance in his thoughts the place he received a Did Not Play — Coaches Resolution (DNP-CD) within the Olympics, even on a roster this loaded.
However as each Tatum and U.S. males’s head coach Steve Kerr confirmed after the sport, that’s precisely what occurred. Tatum informed Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe that he wasn’t sick with the bug that’s been going round Crew USA…
…whereas Kerr added it was his determination to bench the one 2024 All-NBA First-Crew choice on Crew USA for the entire sport:
Kerr admits Tatum was a straight up DNP-CD. “I went with the combos that made sense. That was for tonight. He dealt with it nicely. He’ll make his mark.” #Celtics #Paris2024
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) July 28, 2024
New: “I assumed I used to be loopy once I checked out every little thing & decided these are the lineups I needed to get to. Jayson is first-team All-NBA three years in a row… I talked to him, and he was extremely skilled.”
Extra from Steve Kerr on Tatum’s DNP: https://t.co/gZAxSJVgee
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) July 28, 2024
None of that’s prone to make Celtics followers any much less upset concerning the demotion on-line, although:
Does Steve Kerr know he has Jayson Tatum on his staff?
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) July 28, 2024
Steve Kerr has so many dangerous choices this sport I don’t even know which give attention to at half time
Clearly the Jayson Tatum stuff is moronic and his largest mistake, however that’s simply the tip of the iceberg with this fool
— Immortan Joe Mazzulla (@Handsome_Jake_) July 28, 2024
I used to be unsuitable. Would not make it any much less silly. Fortunately the staff is proficient sufficient to work round a collection of poor teaching choices so far. https://t.co/aKFr0aqNdW
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 28, 2024
Jayson Tatum dropping 50 on Steve Kerr’s head subsequent yr we can be there.
— j (@lockedupjb) July 28, 2024
JT can select to deal with this nevertheless he needs however contemplating his accomplishments in each the NBA and for Crew USA I believe I he’d be justified in saying absolutely anything he needs about Steve Kerr proper now
— Ryan Bernardoni (@dangercart) July 28, 2024
Tatum has by no means prompted any drama in his profession. I anticipate he’ll proceed on that observe now but when he needs t go off he’d be justified in doing it.
— Ryan Bernardoni (@dangercart) July 28, 2024
Crew USA is a HIGHLY political group. 30 years on we discuss why Isiah Thomas wasn’t on the Dream Crew. Jaylen is feuding with Grant Hill and it’s information. Kerr embarrassed Tatum and did it knowingly. https://t.co/KOJsGT2qk2
— Ryan Bernardoni (@dangercart) July 28, 2024
Now we must always word once more that Kerr made certain to credit score Tatum’s professionalism a number of instances postgame, and his remarks make it at the very least seem as if Tatum’s position (or lack thereof) was communicated to him beforehand. At the least for now, it seems he didn’t discover out he wouldn’t be enjoying in any respect similtaneously the remainder of us, and dealt with it about in addition to he presumably might have.
Nonetheless, it will likely be fascinating to see how this case continues to unfold. Possibly Tatum performs 15-20 minutes the subsequent sport and another person shuffles out of the lineup, or perhaps an harm forces an opportunity for him to play hero. Nonetheless, whereas Crew USA can most likely win with out Tatum in 2024, if he continues to be handed over on such a outstanding stage and has to listen to about it on-line continually, Kerr is making it an actual chance they’ll need to win with out the now-26-year-old in 2028, too.
