Tatum Benched During Team USA's Gold Medal Run

Fans and NBA analysts are voicing strong opinions against Steve Kerr's decision to bench Jayson Tatum during Team USA's gold medal run at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite Tatum's stellar NBA season, which included leading the Boston Celtics to a championship and securing a record-breaking contract, he saw limited playing time, which many found inexplicable. Kerr attributed the decision to 'math problems' and team combinations, but this reasoning failed to satisfy critics, including former NBA players and Tatum's family. Jayson Tatum himself stated that his future participation in the Olympics would not be influenced by this year's experience, though the controversy has raised concerns about potential long-term impacts on player commitments to Team USA. Support from peers and the Celtics community, including owner Wyc Grousbeck and Jeff Teague, suggests that the benching could serve as motivation for Tatum and his teammates in future NBA seasons.