Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum saw no action during Team USA men’s basketball dominance against Serbia in its Olympic opener against Serbia on Sunday, July 28. While the USA cruised to a 110-84 victory, Tatum, a three-time All-NBA star and current NBA champion, never got off the bench.
He and Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton were the only two players with goose eggs filling up their stat sheet. Tatum, who led the Celtics with a 26.9 points-per-game average in the 2024-25 season, handled the situation well, while others in the world of social media had a field day.
Jayson Tatum Mocked, Steve Kerr Blasted on Social Media
While Kevin Durant came off the bench to lead Team USA with 23 points, and LeBron James added 21, the storyline of the game appeared to be Tatum’s absence. He wasn’t injured. He wasn’t sick. Head coach Steve Kerr simply didn’t play him.
Tatum’s two Celtics teammates, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, saw action in the game. Holiday was a starter and played 24 minutes, scoring 15 points. White finished with two points and two steals in his 16 minutes of work.
With Tatum on the bench throughout the game, those keyboard warriors on social media had a field day.
“Jayson Tatum: “I finally got my chip and the respect I deserve,’” one X user posted.
Lebron: “Water & towel please.”
Another social media user said Tatum finished with a “water boy triple-double.”
“Jayson Tatum Olympic Opener:
0 Minutes
18 Gatorade Assists
12 Towels Passed
10 Frowns”
Kerr had plenty of social media players calling him out. Some called him disrespectful for sitting Tatum the entire game. Some just simply called him out.
“Somehow @SteveKerr couldn’t figure out how to get JT in during a 26-point win?” one X user posted. “Are we sure he should be coaching @usabasketball? Ridiculous.”
“Steve Kerr is a jerk,” another X user wrote. “Always has been. You all are just now seeing it because of the Olympic stage and his target being Jayson Tatum. This is who Kerr is, has been and will continue to be.”
Kerr Admitted He ‘Feld Like an Idiot’ Not Playing Tatum
When you assemble a team of 12 of the greatest players in the NBA, it’s going to be tough to find minutes for certain stars. It’s a tough spot for Kerr, but to have Tatum sit the entire game during a blowout victory is beyond head-scratching.
After the game, Kerr said Tatum handled the situation well, and he’ll get a chance to play in the team’s next game.
“I felt like an idiot not playing him,” Kerr told reporters.
“Forty-minute game, you can’t play more than 10. So, I think he’s an amazing guy, great player and handled it beautifully. He’ll be back out there next game.”
“Jayson will play (Wednesday). I’m not going to answer your next question, which is if he plays, who doesn’t. But we’re going to need him, and part of this job for me is to keep everybody engaged and ready, because my experience with this is crazy stuff happens.”
Kerr said it’s all part of the challenge of coaching the Olympic team.
“The hardest part of this job is you’re sitting at least a couple of guys who are world-class, some of the very best players on Earth,” Kerr said. “On one hand, it makes no sense at all. On the other, I’m asking these guys to just commit to winning one game and then move on to the next one. I have to do the same thing.
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