Boston Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum came into this year's Olympic run as an NBA champion for the first time and was set to play a pivotal role in USA's gold medal run. Instead, it was a tough one for Tatum as he hardly played and, at times, didn't see the floor.
Many questioned why Tatum was unavailable for much of the Olympic run. People were vocal about his lack of playing time, especially Tatum's father, Justin Tatum. Justin expressed his concerns during a phone call with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, stating, "As a coach, I would have no reservations of playing him. As a coach, I would find a way to play him. Why hasn't he played? I don't see it."
Justin Tatum says he would’ve found a way to give Jayson Tatum more minutes during the Olympics
“As a coach, I would have no reservations of playing him. As a coach I would find a way to play him. Why hasn’t he played? I don’t see it.”
(Via @ScoopB ) pic.twitter.com/QvMlPQecmb
The Celtics forward rode the bench for the majority of the Olympic run for two of the six games and averaged 17.7 minutes in his four outings. Jayson, a true professional, sacrificed his play time in order to secure his second Olympic gold medal, but after the run, he admitted he had a hard time adjusting to it.
"I can't lie. It was challenging," Tatum said of his lack of playing time. "Especially after the experience of the highest of the highest winning a championship, and then put in a new situation where you've never been in that spot before. But you know, I didn't want to make it about me... I just stayed a professional. I came to work every day. Just stay ready."
"A lot of people texted me and reached out and were like, 'Make sure this fuels you,' which I appreciate," Tatum said while adding that his Olympic experience was "challenging and humbling" at the same time.
Justin Tatum, 45, played collegiate basketball at St. Louis University and spent two years playing overseas before settling as a high school basketball coach in Missouri for 16 years. Jayson is not used to riding the bench. Coming out of high school, he was a five-star recruit and went into Duke as the star, being named to the ACC All-Freshman team and Third-team All-ACC. From day one in the NBA, he was a starter for the Celtics and has helped lead them to heights they hadn't been to in a long time.
The 26-year-old is still among the best players in the NBA, having been named a five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA member, and 2023 All-Star MVP.
More News: Tyrese Haliburton hilariously reacts to not playing during the Gold Medal Olympic Game.
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