How did Jayson Tatum handle his reduced role at the 2024 Summer Olympics? Like a pro, according to a teammate who knows him well.
Jrue Holiday, one of three Boston Celtics on the U.S. team that won gold in Paris, said Tatum remained focused on winning even when head coach Steve Kerr I left it on the bench for long periods.
“I think everybody here knows JT,” Holiday said Wednesday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a Raising Cane’s restaurant in Downtown Crossing. “He’s a consummate professional. He already knows what this is and what the ultimate goal is, and I don’t think he really needs any encouragement. I think it was just a matter of being ready when his time comes.”
Despite making three consecutive All-NBA selections and helping the Celtics win the NBA title two months earlier, Tatum is the second-fewest Team USA player in minutes, behind Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton. He has not played in two of the team’s six games, including the Victory comes to the surface against Serbia in the semi-finals and scored only 21 points in total in the tournament.
Tatum admitted that it was “hard” and “humiliating” to take a step back from a talent-rich U.S. team led by LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, who were all likely playing in their last Olympics.
“A lot of people have texted me and said, ‘Make sure this gives you energy,’ which I appreciate. There’s a lot of people who care about me,” Tatum told reporters after the gold medal game against France. “I think the hardest part is, yes, you can use things to give you energy, but I’m still human.”
Holiday and Celtics teammate Derrick White both played important roles for Team USA, though White’s playing time declined in the playoffs. Boston’s players made up a quarter of the 12-man roster.
“It’s pretty cool to play with them,” Holiday said. “We’ve done it for a while and we’ve won together, but to go out there and represent our country together, it was really cool.”
Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who didn’t make the Olympic team, will get their first chance to show Kerr what he’s been missing when the Celtics host the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 6.
