Duke Basketball Product Stuck on Bench in Team USA Opener
![Former Duke basketball forward Jayson Tatum Former Duke basketball forward Jayson Tatum](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4318,h_2428,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/blue_devil_country/01j3x758nma1kpq4e60c.jpg)
It wasn't clear why 2016-17 Duke basketball one-and-done Jayson Tatum didn't see a single minute of action in Team USA's 110-84 opening win over Serbia at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday. But head coach Steve Kerr's decision not to play the reigning NBA champion created quite a stir on social media, including gripes from Boston Celtics fans, naturally, and jokes from others.
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The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn reported a puzzling observation at halftime:
"Something might be going on with Tatum here. He was the last Team USA player out of the locker room and walked straight to the bench without warming up."
After the game, Washburn asked Tatum if he was sick.
"No, I'm good," the 26-year-old replied.
One explanation for Jayson Tatum's absence from Kerr's 10-man rotation is as simple as Kevin Durant returning from a calf injury. Durant tallied a game-high 23 points off the bench.
Kevin Durant has never dropped 20 pts on 100% from the field in any half of his NBA career, including postseason.
— ESPN (@espn) July 28, 2024
He just dropped 21 on 8-8 shooting off the bench in the first half vs. Serbia 😳 pic.twitter.com/We0y1Yv961
"I went with the combinations that made sense," Kerr told the media afterward. "That was for tonight. [Tatum] handled it well. He'll make his mark."
Tyrese Haliburton is the only other Team USA player who rode the bench against Serbia.
Next up for the Americans is a Group C showdown against South Sudan (1-0), including Duke basketball freshman center Khaman Maluach, at 3 p.m. ET Wednesday.
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Former Duke basketball star RJ Barrett and Canada (1-0) are in Group A. They face Australia at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.