Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum's playing time has been a constant headline throughout Team USA's run for a fifth consecutive gold medal. Tatum did not play in two of the six games in the Olympics, including the semifinal victory over Serbia. He then came off the bench in the first quarter and played 11 minutes in Team USA's victory in the gold medal game against France, scoring two points with three rebounds.
However, despite the ups and downs, Tatum isn't letting his time in Paris determine whether or not he'll play for Team USA in the future.
“It was a tough personal experience on the court, but I'm not going to make any decision off emotions,” Tatum said. “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.”
Team USA coach Steve Kerr repeatedly said that Tatum's absence from the Olympics wasn't based on performance but on matchups. Tatum missed both games against Serbia, where Kerr generally played a bigger lineup. He also played behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant, with Durant coming off the bench until starting in the final.
Jayson Tatum can use his Olympics experience to motivate him
Tatum said several times after Team USA defeated France that he was thrilled with winning his second gold medal. But despite his disappointment, he didn't want his situation to detract from the team's success. He also acknowledged that it was humbling, considering his status as a three-time All-NBA player and recently crowned NBA champion.
“A lot of people texted me and reached out and said, ‘Make sure this fuels you,' which I appreciate. There's a lot of people that care about me,” Tatum said. “I think the tough part is yes, you can use things to fuel you, but I'm still human.
“…Part of being in the moment, I've sacrificed and put a lot into this game and work really, really hard. So, in the moment, it is tough. You're not necessarily worried about fueling me for November or [whenever] the season is, but like I said, it's something I'm going to take away from this and learn from this experience. It's definitely challenging and humbling at the same time.”
Tatum has a clear mindset heading into the upcoming NBA season, looking to defend Boston's NBA crown. However, with a humbling experience in Paris, the Celtics superstar could be primed for an MVP-worthy season.
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