LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum. These are the three players from Team USA who have been the most talked about during the Olympics. The first two for their performances on the field, the last for the long minutes he spent on the bench in France.
The All-Star winger, who had just won the NBA title with Boston, did not have the same status with the national team. As a result, the two games against Serbia that he missed caused reactions, even from his close friends and the Celtics.
“There was so much debate, so much discussion: there was a period when people were wondering whether I was a superstar or not; then whether I was ready or not to win the title; then whether I should play in the Olympics or not…”Jayson Tatum explains to The Athletic. “I had just won the title, it's summer, and it would have been nice to have a little break, not put on ESPN. But maybe I'm at that level in my career.”
It is impossible to remain deaf to criticism
The level where, whatever he does or doesn't do, the Celtics' leader will be talked about and will be divisive. He is criticized, he is defended; he is loved, he is hated. And it is impossible to ignore the arguments of both sides. “It was a lot to take in. In the age of social media, you see everything: tweets, podcasts, people on TV giving their opinions on this or that decision, good or bad.”sums up the All-Star.
In the wake of winning his second Olympic gold medal, he made no secret of the fact that he was clearly disappointed not to have played. “When you see the subject being everywhere, when everyone is talking about it constantly, it's not easy,” comments Jrue Holiday. “It's obvious that I would have liked to play more, because I've never been in this situation. I've been playing basketball since I was three years old and I've never not played,” continues the main person concerned. “But I wasn't moping around. I wasn't angry. I stayed ready, did what I was asked to do and won a gold medal.”
“I have two Olympic gold medals, an NBA title and not everything will necessarily go as planned”
Ultimately, this failed experience at the Olympic Games is just a step in his career. Clumsy, ineffective and little used in France, he knows that he must now move on. The defense of the NBA title begins in less than two months.
“I have two Olympic gold medals, an NBA title and not everything is going to go according to plan, right? I've learned to accept that. It's part of the game and you move on. I'm ready to enjoy my last few weeks before the season starts.”he concluded.
| Jayson Tatum | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2017-18 | BOS | 80 | 31 | 47.5 | 43.4 | 82.6 | 0.6 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 13.9 |
| 2018-19 | BOS | 79 | 31 | 45.0 | 37.3 | 85.5 | 0.9 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 15.7 |
| 2019-20 | BOS | 66 | 34 | 45.0 | 40.3 | 81.2 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 23.4 |
| 2020-21 | BOS | 64 | 36 | 45.9 | 38.6 | 86.8 | 0.8 | 6.6 | 7.4 | 4.3 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 26.4 |
| 2021-22 | BOS | 76 | 36 | 45.3 | 35.3 | 85.3 | 1.1 | 6.9 | 8.0 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 26.9 |
| 2022-23 | BOS | 74 | 37 | 46.6 | 35.0 | 85.4 | 1.1 | 7.7 | 8.8 | 4.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 30.1 |
| 2023-24 | BOS | 74 | 36 | 47.1 | 37.6 | 83.3 | 0.9 | 7.2 | 8.1 | 4.9 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 26.9 |
| Total | 513 | 34 | 46.0 | 37.5 | 84.4 | 0.9 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 3.5 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 23.1 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
