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Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Media Scrutiny and Olympic Benching Experience: ‘Nice to Have a Little Break’
Jayson Tatum reflects on the challenges of media scrutiny, discussing how it impacted his performance and mindset. He also shares insights into his experience being benched during the Olympics.
Team USA clinched the gold medal in men's basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics by defeating France 98-87. This win marked their fifth consecutive Olympic gold and 17th overall. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant were standout players, with Curry contributing 24 points in the final. While the team celebrated, Jayson Tatum faced personal struggles during this period.
After arriving in Paris as an NBA champion and one of the top basketball players globally, Jayson Tatum found himself in the spotlight not for his gameplay but for not playing. Now, after the Olympics, Tatum reflects on his emotions and reactions to being benched, emphasizing that winning the gold medal was his ultimate goal and source of satisfaction.
As Team USA moved towards securing their fifth Olympic gold, Celtics forward and Olympic star Jayson Tatum was dealing with a different reality. The Americans started pool play against Serbia, marking Tatum’s first missed game. When the US faced Serbia again in the semi-finals, Tatum remained on the bench and didn’t play a single minute in either match.
“It’s one of those things where there’s been so much talk and debate…There was a period of, ‘Is he a superstar or not?’ Then it was a big debate like, ‘Is he championship ready now?’ Then it’s like, ‘How could he not get in the Olympics?’ I’m like; I just won a championship, it’s the summertime, it might be nice to have a little break where you don’t turn on ESPN and they’re talking about you. But I guess this is part of it, and that may be the level I’ve reached now in my career.”
The 2024-25 NBA season is fast approaching, and the Olympic star is now focused on the new challenges ahead. Despite this, during an interview with The Athletic's Jared Weiss, he still took the time to discuss his experience in Paris, including the benching and the attention it garnered.
Unfortunately, Tatum’s benching attracted more attention than the team's overall accomplishments. This debate is likely to continue for years, with questions surrounding the validity of USA head coach Steve Kerr’s decisions. Some wonder whether Tatum’s benching was due to Devin Booker’s outstanding performance or Tatum's own less-than-stellar play, matchups, and strategic considerations.
Media scrutiny and the accompanying praise or criticism are simply part of being an NBA superstar, particularly for someone of Tatum’s status. In this situation, the focus was on sympathy for Tatum and judgment for Kerr. Kerr coached in a way he believed would lead to victories, which, of course, wasn’t satisfactory for those outside the professional basketball sphere. Nonetheless, Tatum responded to the benching with class and professionalism despite the excessive chatter from observers.
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