Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum’s mother is unhappy with his son’s lack of playing time for Team USA in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The 26-year-old forward spent the thrilling 95-91 victory in the semifinals against Serbia on August 8 glued to the bench.
Jayson Tatum’s Mom Blasts Steve Kerr’s Team USA Rotations
Tatum’s benching against Serbia was his second of Team USA’s five games so far in the Olympics. He also did not see action during their first group stage game, which coincidentally was against Serbia.
ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale posted on X during the semifinals, questioning whether Tatum’s lack of minutes was due to an injury. Tatum’s mother, Brandy Cole, made a straightforward response while also voicing her opinion about head coach Steve Kerr’s decision to keep the recent NBA champion out of the lineup.
“No he[‘s] not. But if you find out what’s going on please let me know – unacceptable and makes NO SENSE.”
Tatum previously admitted that being benched during the first game was a “humbling experience” after his spectacular year. The five-time NBA All-Star recently earned a spot on the All-NBA First Team for the third consecutive campaign, capping off the 2023-24 NBA season by winning his first NBA Championship. The former Duke Blue Devil standout also signed the largest contract in NBA history this summer, a five-year deal worth $315 million. He also appeared as the cover athlete for the video game NBA 2K25 and graced the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.
Steve Kerr Explains Jayson Tatum’s Limited Minutes
On the other hand, Kerr stated that it was not Tatum’s fault he did not see action in two of their Olympic games, admitting that it’s already challenging to play 11 players in an NBA game, let alone all of their stars in a shortened FIBA game, where each quarter is only 10 minutes.
“It’s not what I’m not seeing from Jayson, it’s what I’ve seen from the other guys. Like I’ve said many times during this tournament and the last six weeks, it’s just hard to play 11 people, even in an NBA game.”
Tatum has averaged 6.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steals in 19.9 minutes per game. The 2022 Eastern Conference Finals MVP is also shooting 38.9% from the field across his three appearances. While his numbers have been slightly underwhelming, the Warriors’ mentor noted that it’s only a “math problem” as the reason why Tatum is seeing limited action. The coaching staff has figured out other lineups that work better, especially given the different rules in Olympic basketball and the nature of their opponents.
“It’s not about anything Jayson is doing or not doing. It’s just about combinations and the way that group has played together, the way Kevin has filled in since he came back from his injury. It’s just a math problem more than anything.”
Team USA will face host country France for the gold medal game on Saturday, August 10, at the Accor Arena in Paris.
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