"They didn't complain" - Kevin Durant on Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid each getting DNP in Team USA games
Kevin Durant has commented on Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid getting benched by Team USA head coach Steve Kerr. Tatum received a "Did Not Play" tag in the tournament-opening 110-84 win over Serbia, while Embiid got the same treatment on Wednesday against South Sudan.
The four-time Olympian faced reporters after the 103-86 victory over South Sudan and praised his teammates' reactions to their DNPs. Durant shared that there was no complaint from Tatum and Embiid, and it's all about doing what's best for the team.
"Last game, we had a champion and an all-NBA guy not play any minutes, and tonight we had an MVP not play any minutes. They didn’t complain. We had guys who stepped up and filled those roles perfectly," Durant said. [H/T Ben Golliver of the Washington Post]
Steve Kerr explained following the outrage about Jayson Tatum's DNP that it's hard to fit 12 great players in just 40 minutes of action. Kerr did make it up for Tatum by ensuring that he'll be playing on Wednesday against South Sudan. He started the game and finished with four points, five rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes.
On the other hand, the Golden State Warriors head coach pointed out South Sudan's speed and pace as the main reason why Joel Embiid stayed on the bench. Kerr did add that Embiid will be back in the startling lineup on Saturday against Puerto Rico.
Tyrese Haliburton, who also had a DNP in the Serbia matchup, earned some minutes on Wednesday. He contributed six points in seven minutes of action.
Jayson Tatum calls Team USA benching a 'humbling experience'
Jayson Tatum was at the top of the world when the Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA championship. Tatum then signed the biggest contract in NBA history, a five-year, $315 million deal to stay with the Celtics. He was also selected to play for Team USA in the Olympics for the second time in his career.
However, Steve Kerr put a halt to that for a moment when he benched Tatum in Team USA's opening game against Serbia. The Celtics star called it a "humbling experience" since he came back down to earth after all the accolades but the most important part was they got the win.
"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. 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," Tatum said after the win over South Sudan. [H/T BasketNews]
Bam Adebayo led Team USA in scoring against South Sudan. He finished with 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting in 21 minutes off the bench. Durant, who led the team with 23 points off the bench against Serbia, finished behind Bam with 14 points in 22 minutes.