Bill Simmons Has Shocking Prediction About Jayson Tatum, Team USA Future

For the second time during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum went without playing a single minute, being relegated to the bench while the other superstars of the NBA etched out a hard-fought win on the court.

Team USA's 95-91 victory over Serbia was incredible, as they came back from 17 points down to reach the gold medal game against France on Saturday. However, Celtics fans likely left the game a little frustrated at the minimal use of their star player.

One of those fans — Bill Simmons, the well-known host of the Bill Simmons Podcast — shared in some of those feelings, and made a jarring prediction for Tatum and his Team USA future on his latest episode.

Related: Steve Kerr Justifies Decision To Bench Jayson Tatum In USA vs. Serbia

"I find it hard to believe that he's going to play in 2028 now, I'm just going to throw that out there," Simmons said. "I have no inside information at all. I'm just saying that when you're making hard choices like this, I think there's going to be ramifications down the line."

In Team USA's first game of the Olympics against Serbia, Tatum also saw zero minutes on the court. He has averaged 19 minutes per game in the other three contests, scoring 6 points per game with six rebounds per game as well.

In the games where he has been relegated to the bench, a lot of jokes have been made by fans as to why he isn't playing.

Related: Wild Conspiracy Theory Arises After Steve Kerr's Controversial Coaching Decision in Team USA's Win vs. Serbia

"This is now an embarrassing tournament for Tatum, and I just don't see him playing again," Simmons continued. "He was top-5 All-NBA three years in a row, he just won the NBA title, and he's literally not playing in these games."

It's unclear what Team USA will look like in 2028 when the Olympic games head to Los Angeles. There's an expectation that LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant will be off the roster due to age or retirement, and Joel Embiid announced on Friday morning that he is considering playing for Cameroon instead of the USA.

If Tatum also chooses to pass on the chance to represent his country, then Team USA will need to find a lot of star power from elsewhere to fill their roster. Of course, this is all speculation, so it's smart not to put too much weight into the prediction.

Related: Bill Simmons Makes Jarring Admission About Lakers Rookie Bronny James