Team USA’s first win in Paris wouldn’t normally fill the head coach with regret, but Steve Kerr is feeling it. He’s getting immense backlash for benching Jayson Tatum in the opening game against Serbia. He explained his reasoning, took accountability, and assured that Tatum will have his overdue Olympic debut against South Sudan. But that’s not enough to make up for hurt feelings on behalf of Tatum the NBA. Over at Fox Sports, The Odd Couple outrightly declared Kerr disrespected the reigning NBA champion. Rob Parker went a step ahead and said Kerr’s decision affected Tatum’s loved ones too.

“I  think for a guy who’s coming off like the high of his NBA career, finally broke through after all that, the conversation naturally is one of embarrassment for him whether he says it or not,” said Parker. He added that he felt Tatum would get awkward questions too from, “His family, friends, people… ‘ how could they disrespect you like that.'”

Tatum is undoubtedly on a career-high. After multiple playoff exits, he finally reclaimed the NBA championship for the Boston Celtics for the first time since 2008. He was on Team USA before the championship and everyone looked forward to his Olympic debut. But he sat on the bench on Sunday and cheered his teammates who led a 110-84 campaign against Nikola Jokic and Serbia.

Tatum handled it with more grace than the NBA world. After Kerr said he was going “crazy” trying to distribute 40 minutes among a talented pool of players, reactions poured in. Nick Young, a former Dub Kerr who played in the 2018 season despite everyone’s doubts, went on an explicit rant defending Tatum.

Charles Barkley gave the example of Dream Team’s minutes distribution. He felt there wouldn’t have been a downside to giving Tatum a few minutes on the court. Parker sees a similar scenario.

Jayson Tatum could recreate history

With the benefit of hindsight, Parker believes this could’ve all been avoided if Kerr gave Tatum the last four minutes. He even elaborated a hypothetical scenario that Kerr could’ve asked Tatum if he wanted to play towards the end and if the latter agreed, he could’ve had the floor. Whether he widened the score gap or not would’ve been insignificant to the NBA champ making his Olympic debut.

It’s important because he could be the seventh player in history to win an NBA title and Olympic gold in the same year. That’s a list that Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen created. Tatum’s teammate, Jrue Holiday is in that club already. Holiday and White got to play on Sunday but they couldn’t share that opportunity with their team MVP. Kerr was blunt that, “I felt like an idiot not playing [Tatum]” knowing the significance of it.

But Kerr assured that every game is different, and Tatum will have his time to shine in the next game. July 31 is set to mark Jayson Tatum’s Olympic debut, and many are hopeful he will make every minute count.

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.