Once the No. 2 scorer for the US team at the 2020 Olympics and having just won the NBA championship with the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum suddenly became the name near the bottom of coach Steve Kerr’s priority list.
With the Golden State Warriors captain likely to continue leading the American team at the next Olympics, it is not impossible that Jayson Tatum will withdraw from the Los Angeles 2028 project.
The Celtics star said he has not made a decision yet, but it certainly won’t be based on his experiences in the French capital.
“It was a tough personal experience on the court, but I’m not going to make any decisions based on emotion,” Tatum told reporters after the U.S. team beat France to win its fifth consecutive gold medal.
“If you ask me now if I will play in 2028 – I have to say that it’s four years away and I will have to take some time to think about it. So I will not make any decisions based on this experience or my personal feelings.”
The 26-year-old didn’t play in two of Team USA’s six games, including the semifinal win over Serbia. He finished the tournament averaging 5.3 points and 5.3 rebounds on 38.1 percent shooting. Tatum played less than both of his Celtics teammates, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White.
Jayson Tatum’s style of play relies on holding the ball and creating opportunities for himself and his teammates. However, that star-studded style of play is not enough to compete with LeBron James, Steph Curry or Kevin Durant.
Another problem for the 26-year-old is his ability to shoot from distance. He only made 28.3% of his shots from distance in the Playoffs and did not make any 3-pointers in Paris. That makes it even harder for him to win a role alongside superstars.
The next four years will be a different story, with Curry and LeBron unlikely to return, while Durant will turn 39 by the next Olympics. That’s when Tatum can become the star he wants to be.
