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

Some things never change for Jayson Tatum. As his career has continued to evolve and flow, there has been one constant: Tatum has found himself at the center of the conversation.

He burst onto the NBA scene as an impressive role player at 19, but has fluctuated between promising and overhyped in the public eye. Leading the Boston Celtics to a title in June gave him a championship pass, a final word to put questions about his stardom to bed.

But it only took a few weeks for the conversation to start again. This time the tenor was different. As a member of Team USA, Tatum (alongside Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton) did not come off the bench in the Olympics opener against Serbia. Although Tatum played in four of the other five matches (he again played against Serbia in the semifinals), his benching became one of the talking points of the tournament.

“It’s one of those things that is talked about and debated so much,” Tatum said. “There was a period where he was either a superstar or not. Then it was a big debate, for example: is he ready for the championship now? Then it’s like, how could he not compete in the (Olympics)? I’m like, I just won a championship, it’s summer, it might be nice to have a little break where you don’t turn on ESPN and they’re talking about you. But I think this is part of it, and that is perhaps the level I have now reached in my career.”

Even though he was in the Olympic Village and avoided talking about it publicly during the Games, Tatum was aware of what was happening outside Paris. And while this was one of the few times the crowd seemed to be behind him, it still wasn’t easy for him.

“It was a lot. In the age of social media, you see everything,” Tatum said during a phone call. “You see all the tweets and the people on the podcasts and people on TV giving their opinions on whether they thought it was a good decision or whether it was an outrageous decision or whatever. Obviously I wanted to contribute more, and I have never been in (this) situation before. I started playing basketball at (age) 3 at the YMCA, and I never not played, so it was different and it was a challenge.

Team USA head coach Steve Kerr attributed his decision to the match against Nikola Jokić and Serbia’s at-large roster, then proved he meant business by playing Tatum in every remaining match except Serbia’s rematch in the semifinals .

Ironically, his Celtics teammate Jrue Holiday took advantage of Tatum’s benching when he started the games against Serbia. But Holiday said Wednesday he felt like the whole situation may have been out of proportion to the amount of coverage it received in the basketball world.

“When you see it everywhere all the time and people talk about it and I hear about it all the time, I’m like, ‘Man, I can only imagine what he’s going through,’” Holiday said.. “I feel like he had a good time and I feel like that’s part of the experience, that he’s enjoying it. I hope he got a chance to (enjoy) it, because I did too. It’s fun to play with him and (Derrick) White, but it’s also fun to play with some of the best players ever.

‘I wasn’t grumbling. I had no attitude. I wasn’t angry at the world,” Tatum said. “I stayed ready and did what was asked of me and I won a gold medal, right?”

Besides the rotation limitations, there was another reason why Tatum ended up on the depth chart. After turning out the lights in the second half of the regular season, he endured the worst cold streak of his career since the start of the playoffs.

“I know I didn’t make a jump when I was on Team USA. I don’t know, the law of averages,” Tatum said. “It’s a weird rhythm being with Team USA; you never know exactly when you’re going to get the ball. But that’s part of it. You sign up for that because I’ve done it before (at the Tokyo Games).”

Tatum and those around him have insisted he is not injured and has not lost confidence in his shot. Although he shot 28.3 percent deep into the playoffs and missed every jumper he took with Team USA, he said he’s been playing basketball long enough that he doesn’t have to worry about getting back on track in October are.

“I have two (gold medals) now, I have a championship, and everything doesn’t necessarily go the way you expect it to go, right?” said Tatum. “I’ve learned to say, ‘Okay, that’s part of it.’ You move on and I get ready to enjoy the last few weeks I have before the season starts and get ready for a new season.

Tatum’s summer was full of success both on and off the field. He was named an NBA 2K25 cover athlete, has a children’s book coming out on September 10, and signed the largest contract extension in NBA history (for now).

Jayson Tatum lifts his son Deuce after the Celtics win the NBA title at home in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Things are finally slowing down, so Tatum can focus on spending the rest of the summer with his six-year-old son Deuce before he starts first grade. As Tatum continues to deal with the increasingly bright spotlight, his son begins to understand who his father is to the rest of the world.

“Being in school, I think, made him realize how important it was that we win or compete for a championship,” Tatum said. “He thought that was normal until he went to school and people were talking about the Celtics and us winning and trying to compete for a championship. I think he realized the magnitude of this because he was around kids his age and even the older kids in fourth and fifth grade.

Last season, he often came to Deuce’s school to spend time with his son’s classmates and teachers. Tatum said he loved reading to his son’s class as the children got excited. Deuce got a taste of what it was like to be his father when he was the topic of conversation at his school as a toddler. As his son grows up quickly, Tatum says he’s learning to let go as a parent.

“I’m not going to lie, I was nervous about sending him to school at first,” Tatum said. “Just because you entrust your most valuable asset, your own child, to someone else five days a week, which is of course very normal. Children go to school. But I was nervous at first.”

Once Deuce starts school, Tatum can focus on his daily work. His goal for the Celtics is to make sure they don’t lose their sense of urgency next season. He said they will have to fight the urge to be complacent, something they succeeded in doing last year under Joe Mazzulla.

The Celtics were fitted with their rings two weeks ago and Tatum said everyone was excited about the process. As the team entered the complex earlier this month, he told everyone to make sure their title celebration would be short-lived once the games started.

“I believe that after ring night we should put that behind us in a strange way,” he said. “Last year was last year. We did it. It was a dream come true. We worked hard for it. But after Ring Night we have to move on. We have to get ready for game two.”

Tatum and the Celtics fell short so many times in the past before finally breaking through this summer. Just one championship changed their reputation and perspective, even though they were so close so many times.

But this summer wasn’t perfect for Tatum. With all his success came a humbling experience. Those moments in previous seasons helped him become the Celtics’ best player, now an official championship-caliber superstar. So Team USA’s benching, while it may be blown out of proportion in the grand scheme of things, could benefit Tatum in the long run.

“I’m always the glass half full type,” he said. “I always believe that everything happens for a reason and whatever that is, I don’t know yet. But I’m sure I’ll find out.”

(Top photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)