Team USA is set to face Serbia in the semifinal on Thursday night, and Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum has not meshed well with the team's leading scorers.
Tatum was a key player on the 2020 roster that secured a gold medal in Tokyo, where he was one of the top scorers at just 22 years old. Many saw him as the future face of Team USA.
When Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach asked Tatum about the difficulties of maintaining a rhythm with his varying role with Team USA, Tatum responded, “I don’t know.”
“Each game is extremely different, but the main thing is that we win, so whatever we’ve got to do or I’ve got to do from game to game to be a part of that and contribute when I can, I’m going to do that,” he said.
Jayson Tatum's benching against Serbia
Tatum’s Olympic stint began with a significant disappointment. Head coach Steve Kerr benched him for the team’s opener against Serbia, sparking widespread discussion.
Afterward, Kerr admitted he “felt like an idiot” for not playing Tatum but praised the Celtics star for his professionalism. Kerr chose lineups he believed were most effective, which included players like Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White over Tatum.
After his return to the floor against South Sudan, Tatum finally addressed his benching, describing it as a “humbling experience.”
Bouncing back against South Sudan, Puerto Rico and Brazil
In his starting role against South Sudan, Tatum played for 17 minutes and 20 seconds, scoring four points, grabbing five rebounds, dishing out two assists, and recording one block shooting 2/4 from the field.
Though his stats weren't exceptional, he made a notable impact by contributing on the boards, facilitating offensive plays, and leveraging his defensive length.
Tatum recorded the first double-double of his Olympic career in the game against Puerto Rico. With fellow Celtics teammate Jrue Holiday out due to an ankle injury from Team USA’s win over South Sudan, Tatum stepped into the starting role.
He made a strong start, scoring six points on 3-of-3 shooting within the first seven minutes. Tatum also recorded two steals, two rebounds, and an assist during his initial minutes on the floor.
Tatum ended the game with ten points and matched Puerto Rico's Ismael Romero with a game-high ten boards. Additionally, he contributed three assists, two steals, and a plus-nine plus-minus rating, playing a key role in Team USA's strong performance.
Against Brazil, Tatum entered the game as the 11th man, coming in just two minutes into the second quarter behind fellow Celtics Holiday and Derrick White.
LeBron James connected with Tatum for an alley-oop on the final possession of the half, extending the US lead to 63-36 at halftime. Tatum saw significant minutes in the fourth quarter of the blowout, logging 19 minutes and 50 seconds, the third-most on the team.
Jayson Tatum and his role with Team USA
Playing for Team USA has required Jayson Tatum to adapt to a role he's not accustomed to. While he was the primary focus of the Celtics' offense throughout the season and played a crucial part in their championship win, his role on the national team has been quite different.
As Team USA pursues gold, Jayson Tatum must adjust to a complementary role. With his three-point shooting struggling for months, his focus may shift toward cutting, facilitating, and contributing defensively.
Tatum’s stint against Serbia highlighted the need to avoid personalizing his benching. With stars like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Bam Adebayo on the team, he recognizes that the priority is collective success, not individual standings.
The game between Team USA and Serbia is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday.
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