Jayson Tatum: Olympics DNP a ‘Humbling Expertise’ After NBA Title, Contract, More
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Jayson Tatum used to be saved on the bench correct thru Team USA’s opening remove against Serbia on Sunday, a determination from head coach Steve Kerr that raised just a few eyebrows and possibly bowled over Tatum.
“Or not it’s miles a diversified anxiousness, and or not it’s miles rarely about one particular person participant, competitor in you wants to play obviously, but I’m not here to kind a legend about myself,” he knowledgeable journalists Wednesday after the US defeated South Sudan, 103-86. “You remove a championship, original contract, NBA 2K25 duvet, Sports actions Illustrated… so after all of this, or not it’s positively a humbling skills.”
Tatum will not be basically the most easy star participant who has been a DNP correct thru the Olympics.
Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton additionally did not play against Serbia, whereas Philadelphia 76ers celeb and worn MVP Joel Embiid did not glimpse the court docket against South Sudan.
Such is the nature of taking part in on a Team USA roster fully brimming with skills.
“Closing sport, we had a champion and an all-NBA man not play any minutes, and tonight we had an MVP not play any minutes,” Kevin Durant knowledgeable journalists. “They did not bitch. We had guys who stepped up and filled those roles completely.”
Tatum, 26, did not kind the ultimate impact on Wednesday, scoring factual four parts, though he did add five rebounds, two assists, a block and a highlight dunk in 17 minutes with the beginning unit.
NBA @NBA
AD STEAL
CURRY OOP.
TATUM SLAM.#USABMNT used to be rolling within the 3Q 🔒💥
To this point, this iteration of Team USA is a finest 7-0, with two wins in Paris and five wins within the tune-up games earlier than the Olympics. For all of the hand-wringing so some distance about Kerr’s lineups and rotations, the US continues to remove.
And that, bigger than anything else, is the point of ardour.
“At the stay of the day, I factual would like to remove. I’m here to remove and take away the gold,” LeBron James knowledgeable journalists after Wednesday’s victory. “We have confidence bought 12 guys that could exit and salvage the job done any given evening. The 2nd lineup came in and did that tonight for us.”