Celtics' Jayson Tatum Calls Coverage of Olympics Benching 'A Lot'

Tatum is one of the best players of the world, but he's not immune to the criticism that came with his benching for Team USA at the Olympics.

Aug 6, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard LeBron James (6) and small forward Jayson Tatum (10) react in the first half against Brazil in a men’s basketball quarterfinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is home from the Paris Olympics and is hard at work preparing for the upcoming NBA season, which is set to begin in late October.

After winning his first NBA title earlier this summer, Tatum suited up for Team USA in an experience in Paris that certainly wasn't what he expected.

Tatum played a supporting role on Team USA, but was benched in two games against Serbia, with one benching coming in group play and another coming in the semifinal matchup. While Team USA coach Steve Kerr said it was matchup-based, the benching of one of the NBA's best players did not make much sense to basketball fans. As such, it was a driving point of discussion, which Tatum, while used to at this point, was admittedly frustrated by.

"It's one of those things where there's been so much talk and debate," Tatum told Jared Weiss of The Athletic. "There was a period of, 'Is he a superstar or not?' Then it was a big debate like, 'Is he championship ready now?' Then it's like, 'How could he not get in the Olympics?' I'm like, I just won a championship, it's the summertime, it might be nice to have a little break where you don't turn on ESPN and they're talking about you. But I guess this is part of it, and that may be the level I've reached now in my career."

Tatum knows what kind of player he is and the media attention and coverage that comes along with it. Conversations about Tatum have only grown louder as he has ascended into a different class of player now that he's captured an NBA title.

"It was a lot," Tatum said of the coverage of his benching. "In the age of social media, you see everything. You see all the tweets and the people on the podcasts and people on TV giving their opinion on whether they thought it was a good decision or it was an outrageous decision or whatever. Obviously, I wanted to contribute more, and I've never been in [this] situation. I started playing basketball at 3 at the YMCA, and I've never not played, so it was different and it was challenging."

Tatum will certainly be in the headlines again when the new NBA season begins, and will have to deal with all the good [and sometimes bad] that comes along with it.

His poor three-point shooting was much-maligned throughout the NBA Finals after Tatum shot just a shade over 28% from deep. Additionally, Tatum did not make a jump shot during the Olympics.

Tatum, who has developed into a world class player for the Celtics, is constantly being prodded in the media for the limitations in his game. He doesn't have many, but his stretches of poor shooting have turned into a talking point.

He will try to reverse the conversation when the new season begins in October.