"Definitely a humbling experience" - Jayson Tatum gets candid on his DNP vs. Serbia
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum finally opened up about getting a "Did Not Play" designation in Team USA's game against Serbia. Tatum called it a "humbling experience" given that he was at the top of the world before it happened. Nevertheless, he has no problem with the decision of head coach Steve Kerr.
Tatum spoke to reporters after Team USA's 103-86 victory over South Sudan on Wednesday in Lille. He was asked about his feelings after not getting any playing time versus Serbia. He made the starting five against the youngest nation in the world, scoring four points in 17 minutes.
"It's a unique situation, and it's not about one individual player. Competitor in you wants to play, obviously, but I'm not here to make a story about myself." Tatum said. [H/T BasketNews]
"You win a championship, new contract, NBA 2K25 cover, Sports Illustrated. ... So after all of this, it's definitely a humbling experience. ... We won. I was just glad to get back out there and play again, as there was a lot of chatter over the last few days," he added.
Before his benching on Team USA, Jayson Tatum was at the top of his career. Tatum won his first NBA championship two months ago after the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.
The Celtics then signed him to a five-year, $315 million extension, the largest contract in NBA history. He was also named as the cover athlete for NBA 2K25 along with A'ja Wilson and Vince Carter. He was even given the opportunity to win his second Olympic gold medal although it got off to an iffy start.
Jayson Tatum out of the starting lineup for Puerto Rico
Team USA will wrap things up in the group stage on Saturday against Puerto Rico, who has already been eliminated after losing their first two games. The Americans have a chance to top their group and get a favorable seeding for the quarterfinal draw.
Head coach Steve Kerr made some changes to his starting five against South Sudan going with Steph Curry, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Kerr wanted pace since the South Sudanese was the quickest team in the tournament.
But for Puerto Rico, Kerr already announced that he'll be returning to his original starting lineup of Curry, Booker, Jrue Holiday, James and Joel Embiid. However, it's unclear if Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton will get another DNP.
It has been smooth sailing for Team USA so far in the tournament with the only hiccup being the DNPs of some of the top NBA stars. At the end of the day, it's about the team and getting the glory for their country.