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Is Steve Kerr Really Planning to Bench LeBron James for Jayson Tatum in the Olympics? Exploring Viral Tweet
Next up for Team USA is South Sudan, but a viral tweet has left fans shocked and confused! For those wondering if Steve Kerr really plans to bench LeBron James for Jayson Tatum, here’s the answer!
As the world eagerly awaits the clash between Team USA Basketball and South Sudan on July 31, a tweet is causing quite a stir. The buzz is about Steve Kerr's supposed plan to bench LeBron James in favor of Jayson Tatum.
We all know Steve Kerr didn’t play Jayson Tatum in Team USA’s game against Serbia. Team USA kicked off their Olympic campaign with a dominant 26-point win over Serbia. However, Jayson Tatum didn’t get a single second of playing time in this decisive victory. Steve Kerr, the head coach, could have given some minutes to the 2024 NBA Champion and All-NBA First Team player, but he chose not to, aiming to maintain the team’s rhythm. Kerr even admitted feeling like an 'idiot' for not playing Tatum. Is this Kerr’s way of making things right? Let’s find out.
Verdict: Fake news
Steve Kerr is NOT benching LeBron James for Jayson Tatum
To those who wondered, the answer is no. Steve Kerr isn’t doing that. So, why all the noise? Well, some people just got Centel’d, again. For the unversed, the tweet in question that Steve Kerr is supposedly benching LeBron James for Jayson Tatum, came from an X formerly Twitter account named, NBA Centel, a parody account known for its humorous takes on US sports. The name is a playful twist on NBA Central.
This parody gained traction because Steve Kerr's decision not to play Jayson Tatum against Serbia was indeed puzzling. Not giving any time to the only USA player on the 2024 All-NBA First Team naturally raised eyebrows.
To make things worse, Tatum’s teammate Derrick White played nearly 16 minutes. After the game, Kerr explained to the media that he had spoken to Tatum about the possibility of not playing in the Olympic opener.
Kerr admitted that Kevin Durant’s return affected Tatum’s minutes. Durant was on fire, making all his eight shots in the first half, which gave Team USA the needed boost after Serbia’s initial surge. Kerr didn’t want to disrupt the flow created by Durant and his teammates.
Coach Steve Kerr did, however, praise Tatum for handling the situation well but acknowledged that giving zero minutes to an elite player like Tatum didn’t sit right with him. He promised that Tatum would get his chance soon. Kerr said, “It’s tough but Jayson handled it really well. I talked to him today before the game that it may play out this way just with Kevin coming back and lineups that I wanted to get to but that will change, Jayson’s gonna play… I felt like an idiot not playing him."
READ MORE: Who are The Oldest And Youngest Olympians at the Paris 2024 Olympics? Find Out
Steve Kerr’s decision baffled many, including Stephen A. Smith
In a clip shared on X (formerly Twitter), Stephen A. Smith criticized Kerr on his YouTube show. He started the July 29 episode of “The Stephen A. Smith Show” by saying, “You can't find minutes in a 26-point lopsided victory?”
Smith didn’t hold back, calling Kerr’s decision to bench Tatum “some bulls**t.” He also pointed out how disrespectful it was for Kerr not to play Tatum after the Celtics star sacrificed his offseason to join Team USA after winning the championship.
“To have a champion riding the bench, like he's a damn waterboy,” Stephen A. Smith said, “You've got to be kidding me!”
When is Team USA’s next match in the Olympics?
The US men’s basketball team started strong with a decisive win over Serbia, showing their potential. Next, they face South Sudan, a team that almost beat them in an exhibition two weeks ago.
If the US beats South Sudan, they’ll secure a spot in the knockout stages. South Sudan is the world’s newest nation, gaining independence in 2011. The big question is whether Steve Kerr will finally play Jayson Tatum. Here’s what you need to know:
- When: Wednesday, July 31
- Time: Noon MST, 3 p.m. ET
- Where: Lille, France
- TV channel: USA Network
- Streaming: Peacock, NBCOlympics.com
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