Inside The Warriors

Jayson Tatum Breaks Silence After Steve Kerr's Lineup Decisions at Olympics

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum spoke on his limited role at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Joey Linn

Aug 8, 2024; Paris, France; (L-R) United States forward Jayson Tatum (10), guard Devin Booker (15), guard Stephen Curry (4) look on from the bench during the first half against Serbia in a men's basketball semifinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena.
Aug 8, 2024; Paris, France; (L-R) United States forward Jayson Tatum (10), guard Devin Booker (15), guard Stephen Curry (4) look on from the bench during the first half against Serbia in a men's basketball semifinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. / Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had difficult decisions to make as Team USA's head coach for the 2024 Paris Olympics. With a very talented 12-man roster, Kerr was inevitably going to have at least one player out of his rotation entirely, and likely two.

While Kerr used a longer rotation in the USA Basketball Showcase and some Group Phase games, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton were on the outside looking in for Team USA's semifinals game against Serbia and gold medal game against France.

Both Tatum and Haliburton did not play a single minute against Serbia, and Tatum played just 11 minutes against France.

Speaking after the Olympics via Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, Tatum said, "You feel like you deserve to play and the competitor in you wants to play. And (Steve Kerr) is the coach for a reason. He makes those decisions."

All-NBA First Team each of the last three seasons, Tatum was not a player that projected to be outside of Team USA's rotation at the Olympics. That said, Kerr found a group he liked, and stuck with that en route to a gold medal.

Tatum played 71 minutes at the Olympics, which was the second-fewest on the team.

On if this will impact his 2028 status, Tatum said via Himmelsbach, "It was a tough personal experience on the court, but I’m not going to make any decisions off emotions. If you asked me right now if I’m going to play in 2028, it’s four years from now. I’d have to take time and think about that. So I’m not going to make any decision based on how this experience was, or how I feel individually. I keep trying to say, I’m trying not to make it about me. I know that’s the storyline the last few days, but we won. We won a gold medal, and that was most important.”

Tatum would seemingly be one of Team USA's best options for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, but it will be interesting to see if he chooses to compete again.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Title: Credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation Email: joeylinn52@gmail.com Education: Communication Studies degree from Biola University Location: Los Angeles, California Expertise: NBA analysis and reporting Experience: Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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