Jayson Tatum is not having the Olympic Games participation he wished for. But he had some interesting remarks on what happened in the opener against Serbia
After being excluded in the first game against Serbia, Jayson Tatum returned as a starter for Team USA against South Sudan. He finished with 4 points and 5 rebounds in 17 minutes of play.
After the match, he spoke for the first time about what happened in the previous game: “I’m not here to make this a story about me. It’s definitely an experience that brings you back to reality.” The Paris 2024 Olympics are live on Eurosport, with 10 channels available for Sky subscribers.
Jayson Tatum’s exclusion from Team USA’s rotation was the main story of their first Olympic game, as he spent 40 minutes watching and cheering for his teammates.
After the game, coach Steve Kerr announced that the Boston Celtics star would return to the court against South Sudan, and he kept his word by starting Tatum in place of Joel Embiid, who spent 40 minutes on the bench.
Tatum on his benching against Serbia
After the victory against the African team, where Tatum scored 4 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and provided 2 assists in 17 minutes of play, he spoke for the first time about the situation, explaining his perspective.
“It’s a unique situation: as a competitor, you obviously want to play, but this isn’t about any one person, and I’m not here to make it a story about me,” he told reporters. “After winning a championship, signing a new contract, being on the cover of NBA 2K25, and Sports Illustrated… after all that, sitting on the bench definitely brings you back to reality.”
Many were left surprised with this answer, as they expected a stronger reaction from the current NBA champion who was degraded in the first match according to many. But Jason has chosen to stay quiet and put the team first. Something that many others will appreciate
Kevin Durant says that kind of mentallity is bringing this team the gold
“Last game, we had an NBA champion not get a single minute, and tonight it happened to an MVP,” said Kevin Durant. “No one complained. We had players step up and fill those roles perfectly.” With this kind of attitude, Team USA can truly aim for a fifth consecutive Olympic gold.
Tyrese Haliburton on the other hand also saw the court for the first time, hitting two three-pointers in seven minutes in his Olympic debut, celebrated by teammates who encouraged him from the bench.
