Team USA is probably the only team in the Olympics that can dare keep an NBA champion on the bench. With the overabundance of talent in the roster, someone has to be the sacrificial piece when it comes to game time. Jayson Tatum was certainly feeling that as he made the headlines for not playing a single minute against Serbia. After a hailstorm of criticism and scrutiny, Steve Kerr started the Celtics race against South Sudan.

With his uninspiring showing, Tatum would probably again head to the bench in the next game, and we’ll have this conversation again. And that’s something Steve Kerr has to deal with the whole tournament or even in the NBA season, according to a popular insider.

During the latest episode of First Take, Brian Windhorst revealed the predicament Steve Kerr is in about the Jayson Tatum selection drama. “I’ve been texting with other NBA head coaches, and they’re like, wow. You know, it’s a tough call. Like, you know, they understand the seat that Steve is in,” Windhorst said. “But Chad’s(Johnson) comments really echo what I’ve heard from a lot of players. So, I do think it’s even though I think it’s the right decision from a win at all cost standpoint, there is a charge that Kerr is paying, you know, certainly, just within the NBA world as he’s going this direction.”

Previously on the show, Chad Johnson discussed the Jayson Tatum issue. According to him, Tatum is “hurt” by the snub due to his competitive mentality. “I’d be hurt…I’m just being honest. As competitive as I am at anything, as anything that I do, if I’m representing my country and I made it to the Olympics, I wanna play. I need some minutes. And I’m not talking about 2 or 3 minutes. I need to be out there and get myself in a rhythm. If I’m not able to get myself in a rhythm, facilitate the ball, shoot the ball, become a part of the game, that’s gonna hurt, especially someone like Tatum who just coming off the NBA championship,” the former WR said. 

Humbling was the word Chad used to describe the Jayson Tatum situation. Incidentally, that’s the same word JT himself chose to explain his feelings after the DNP against Serbia.

Jayson Tatum opens up about his DNP experience

Coming to the Olympics and sitting on the bench is a feeling no athlete wants. While some pointed out that it was a well-deserved rest after a gruelling NBA season, Tatum believes otherwise. After all, he is a winner. “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,” the 5-time All-Star said in a recent interview.

“You win a championship, new contract, NBA 2K25 cover, Sports Illustrated… so after all of this, it’s definitely a humbling experience,” Tatum explained. But his lack of minutes did not deter him from the ultimate goal of winning. “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,” the 26-year-old added further.

Tatum started the game against South Sudan but the game relatively passed him by. He managed to add 4 points to his name and grabbed 5 rebounds in the 17 minutes he spent on the hardboard. Joel Embiid got the Jayson Tatum treatment as the C was marked DNP-CD. So expect someone else to have zero involvement in the final group game before Team USA enters a winner-takes-all scenario.

And to absorb more interesting stories, watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where the prodigy puts Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr under the pump with loaded NBA questions and more in this video below.