Jayson Tatum discusses ‘debate’ over Olympic benching, Celtics’ NBA title and extra

Some issues by no means change for Jayson Tatum. As his profession has continued to ebb and circulation, there was one fixed: Tatum finds himself on the middle of dialog.

He broke onto the NBA scene as a formidable position participant when he was 19, solely to oscillate within the public eye between auspicious and overhyped. Main the Boston Celtics to a title in June gave him a championship go, a last phrase to place questions of his stardom to mattress.

Nevertheless it took just some weeks for the dialog to start out once more. This time, the tenor was completely different. As a member of Staff USA, Tatum (alongside Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton) didn’t make it off the bench within the Olympics opener towards Serbia. Although Tatum performed in 4 of the opposite 5 video games — he sat once more towards Serbia within the semifinals — his benching grew to become one of many speaking factors of the event.

“It’s a kind of issues the place there’s been a lot discuss and debate,” Tatum stated. “There was a interval of is he a famous person or not? Then it was an enormous debate, like, is he championship prepared now? Then it’s like how may he not get within the (Olympics)? I’m like, I simply gained a championship, it’s {the summertime}, it is perhaps good to have just a little break the place you don’t activate ESPN and so they’re speaking about you. However I suppose that is a part of it, and that could be the extent that I’ve reached now in my profession.”

Although he was within the Olympic Village and averted discussing it publicly whereas the Video games have been nonetheless going, Tatum was conscious of what was taking place exterior of Paris. And whereas this was one of many uncommon occasions during which the general public appeared to have his again, it nonetheless wasn’t straightforward for him.

“It was rather a lot. Within the age of social media, you see the whole lot,” Tatum stated throughout a telephone name. “You see all of the tweets and the individuals on the podcasts and other people on TV giving their opinion on whether or not they thought it was a very good choice or it was an outrageous choice or no matter. Clearly, I needed to contribute extra, and I’ve by no means been in (this) scenario. I began taking part in basketball at (age) 3 on the YMCA, and I’ve by no means not performed, so it was completely different and it was difficult.”

Staff USA head coach Steve Kerr attributed his choice to matching up towards Nikola Jokić and the massive Serbia roster, then proved he meant it by taking part in Tatum in each remaining recreation aside from the Serbia rematch within the semifinals.

Mockingly, his Celtics teammate Jrue Vacation was a beneficiary of Tatum’s benching as he began these matchups towards Serbia. However Vacation stated Wednesday he felt the entire scenario may need been blown out of proportion with the quantity of protection it received throughout the basketball world.

“Once you see it in every single place on a regular basis and persons are speaking about it and I’m listening to about it on a regular basis, I’m like, ‘Man, I can solely simply think about what he’s going via,’” Vacation stated. “I really feel like he loved himself and I really feel like that’s part of the expertise, is having fun with it. I hope he received an opportunity to (get pleasure from) it, as a result of I did. It’s enjoyable to play with him and (Derrick) White, however then it’s additionally enjoyable to play with among the finest gamers ever.”

“I wasn’t moping round. I didn’t have an angle. I wasn’t offended on the world,” Tatum stated. “I stayed prepared and did what was requested of me and I gained a gold medal, proper?”

Past the rotation limitations, there was one more reason for Tatum to get knocked down the depth chart. After taking pictures lights out within the second half of the common season, he has been on the worst chilly streak of his profession because the playoffs started.

“I do know I didn’t make a leap shot once I was with Staff USA. I don’t know, legislation of averages,” Tatum stated. “It’s a bizarre rhythm factor being with Staff USA; you by no means precisely know while you’re gonna get the ball. However that’s a part of it. You join that as a result of I’ve achieved it earlier than (on the Tokyo Video games).”

Tatum and people round him have maintained he isn’t injured and hasn’t misplaced confidence in his shot. Although he shot 28.3 % from deep within the playoffs and missed each jumper he took whereas on Staff USA, he stated he’s been taking part in basketball lengthy sufficient that he’s not anxious about getting again on observe by October.

“I’ve two (gold medals) now, I’ve a championship, and the whole lot doesn’t essentially go the way in which you count on it to go, proper?” Tatum stated. “I’ve discovered to be like, ‘OK, that’s part of it.’ You progress on, and I’m on the brink of benefit from the final little weeks I’ve earlier than the season begins and prepare for one more season.”

Tatum’s summer season has been filled with success on and off the court docket. He was named the NBA 2K25 cowl athlete, he has a kids’s e-book popping out Sept. 10, and he signed the largest contract extension in NBA historical past (for now).

Issues have lastly slowed down, so Tatum can deal with spending the remainder of the summer season together with his 6-year-old son Deuce earlier than he begins first grade. As Tatum continues to learn to deal with the more and more vivid highlight, his son is beginning to perceive who his father is to the remainder of the world.

“Being in school, I suppose, made him notice how massive of a deal it was (for) us profitable a championship or competing for it,” Tatum stated. “He simply thought that was regular till he went to highschool and persons are speaking concerning the Celtics and us profitable and us making an attempt to compete for a championship. I feel he realized the magnitude of that, being round children his age and even the older children in fourth, fifth grade.”

Final season he would present as much as Deuce’s college typically to spend time together with his son’s classmates and academics. Tatum stated he cherished studying to his son’s class as the youngsters received excited. Deuce received a style of what it was wish to be his dad when he was the discuss of his college as a kindergartner. Whereas his son is rising up quick, Tatum stated he’s is studying as a father or mother to let go.

“I’m not gonna lie, I used to be nervous, at first, to ship him to highschool,” Tatum stated. “Simply since you’re placing your most prized possession, your personal baby, within the care of any person else 5 days per week, which is clearly a standard factor. Children go to highschool. However at first, I used to be nervous.”

As soon as Deuce begins college, Tatum can flip his consideration to his day job. His purpose for the Celtics is to verify they don’t lose their sense of urgency subsequent season. He stated they should combat the urge to be complacent, one thing they succeeded with final yr below Joe Mazzulla.

The Celtics have been fitted for his or her rings two weeks in the past, and Tatum stated everybody was excited by the method. When the staff got here into the power earlier this month, he informed everybody they wanted to verify their title celebration was short-lived as soon as the video games started.

“I’m of the mindset that after ring evening, in a bizarre method, we received to place that behind (us),” he stated. “Final yr was final yr. We did it. It was a dream come true. We labored our ass off for it. However after ring evening, we gotta transfer on. We gotta prepare for recreation two.”

Tatum and the Celtics got here up quick so many occasions prior to now earlier than lastly breaking via this summer season. Only one championship modified their reputations and perspective, despite the fact that they got here so shut so many occasions.

However this summer season wasn’t good for Tatum. With all his success got here a humbling expertise as effectively. These moments in prior seasons helped hone him into the Celtics’ finest participant, a now formally championship-caliber famous person. So the Staff USA benching, even when it could have been blown out of proportion within the grand scheme of issues, might profit Tatum in the long term.

“I’m all the time a glass-half-full sort of man,” he stated. “I all the time imagine the whole lot occurs for a purpose and no matter that’s, I don’t know but. However I’m sure I’ll discover out.”

(Prime picture: Ezra Shaw / Getty Photos)