Jayson Tatum Reflects On Struggles With Team USA At 2024 Olympics

Jayson Tatum's 2024 NBA Championship triumph didn't help his case when it came to Team USA basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as Tatum was an end-of-the-rotation piece who received multiple DNPs during the tournament. Tatum opened up on the same to the Boston Globe, discussing the challenges he faced from being ridiculed and mocked for his diminished role.

“It’s tough to see people talking about you on TV or doubting you on TV, or all the things they say on Twitter because for one, how much you sacrifice and how hard you work on your craft. You want to be the best. You want to play your best every single night and it just doesn’t work out that way.” 

Tatum averaged just 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists at the Olympics, receiving 0 minutes in their two wins over Serbia. While Tatum's lack of minutes came down to LeBron James and Kevin Durant playing a bulk of available minutes at the two forward positions, he was also a very inefficient scorer in the game that he played.

While he can use his rough summer experience as motivation ahead of the 2024-25 season which starts with the Boston Celtics facing the 2023 NBA Champions Denver Nuggets in Abu Dhabi for the first preseason game. Training camp is expected to start within the next week, before games on October 2 and 4 against the Nuggets.

Jayson Tatum Blamed A Lack Of Rhythm Behind His Struggles

Jayson Tatum has previously addressed his Olympic struggles by frankly discussing his struggles with playing the kind of out-of-rhythm basketball required to succeed for Team USA, similar to what he did for Team USA at the 2020 Olympics where he was a more impactful contributor.

“I wasn’t moping around. I didn’t have an attitude. I wasn’t angry at the world. I stayed ready and did what was asked of me and I won a gold medal, right? I know I didn’t make a jump shot when I was with Team USA. I don’t know, law of averages. It’s a weird rhythm thing being with Team USA; you never exactly know when you’re gonna 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 has also said that the Olympics represent a rough personal experience for him on the court.

"It was a tough personal experience on the court, but I'm not going to make any decision on emotions. If you asked me right now if I was going to play in 2028 -- it is four years from now and I [would have] to take time and think about that. So I'm not going to make any decision based on how this experience was or how I felt individually."

With James announcing his retirement from the national team and Durant expected to also fade from prominence by the 2028 Olympics, Tatum might be Team USA's best remaining wing option, pending how players like Cooper Flagg develop in that time. 

The USA will need Tatum in 2028, so hopefully this experience doesn't lead to him removing himself from selection contention in the future.