Jayson Tatum Discusses Going from Benched to Starting for Team USA

Bobby Krivitsky | Jul 31, 2024

Jul 10, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; USA forward Jayson Tatum (10) looks on in the third quarter against Canada in the USA Basketball Showcase at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports / Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

On Wednesday at Pierre Mauroy Stadium, the United States men's basketball team improved to 2-0 in Group C. They did so with a 103-86 victory vs. South Sudan. While they must first finish pool play and square off against Puerto Rico on Saturday, Team USA has punched their ticket to the Olympic quarterfinals.

After spending Sunday's 110-84 win over Serbia glued to the bench, Jayson Tatum went from spectator to starter on Wednesday. The Celtics star joined LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, and Anthony Davis in the first unit.

He responded with four points on 2/4 shooting, five rebounds, two extending possessions, two assists, and a block at the rim in transition.

Showtime in Lille.

📺 @USANetwork + @peacock

🇺🇸 #USABMNT #Paris2024 #Basketball
pic.twitter.com/1eKQZAtxFR

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 31, 2024

"This is the fastest team in the tournament we're going to play," Team USA head coach Steve Kerr told reporters in France about Tatum's 17:10 of floor time, per Ben Golliver of the Washington Post. "We wanted to match up. They made 14 threes against us in London. The whole game today was going to be about switching and staying in front of people."

Tatum also addressed yo-yo-ing up and down the United States star-studded rotation.

"It's a unique situation, and it's not about one individual player," said the three-time All-NBA First Team selection, per Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. "The competitor in you wants to play, obviously. But I'm not here to make a story -- making it about myself. We won. I was just glad to get back out there and play again today. There was a lot of chatter over the last few days, but I was in good spirits; I had a good attitude about it. I'm not holding any grudges or anything."

Kerr has repeatedly called managing a rotation filled with some of the NBA's most accomplished players "the hardest part of this job." But Team USA's bench boss is grateful for the buy-in from his roster, especially those like Tatum and Joel Embiid, the latter of whom, like the former on Sunday, did not participate in Wednesday's win.

"They're pros and committed to each other," Kerr told reporters of players not making an issue about their minutes or lack thereof. "I don't read social media. I would hope our guys aren't paying too much attention to that. That's a regular season thing, where the soap opera can carry the ratings. Here, it's just win a damn gold."

Further Reading

Jrue Holiday, Derrick White Discuss Team USA's Opening Olympic Win

Steve Kerr Explains Benching Jayson Tatum in Team USA's Win vs. Serbia

Jayson Tatum Gets Candid about Relationship with Jaylen Brown

Summer League Struggles Offer Valuable Lessons to Jordan Walsh

D.J. MacLeay Shares How Baylor Scheierman Impressed Him in Celtics Win vs. Lakers

Jaylen Brown 'Wasn't Surprised' by Olympic Snub: 'All the Motivation in the World'

Celtics Rookie Anton Watson Shares Brad Stevens' Message to Him

Celtics' Coaching Staff Changes Match Theme of Boston's Offseason

Celtics Roster, Salary Cap Breakdown After Whirlwind Start to Free Agency

New Details about Plan to Sell Majority Stake in Celtics Revealed

Al Horford, Raising Cane's, and a Region that Loves Him

On Derrick White and the Fuel for Unprecedented Journey to NBA's Best Role Player