Will Jayson Tatum's 2024 Olympic Experience Sway Him Away From 2028?

Heading into today's gold medal matchup between Team USA and Team France, the Boston Celtics' star man has had a rocky experience in his second time around in the Olympics.

So far in these Paris Olympics, Jayson Tatum has appeared in just three out of the possible five games for Team USA, which is tied for the lowest of any player on the roster (alongside Tyrese Haliburton ).

In terms of his averages, Tatum is putting up 6.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest. While his shooting percentages aren't great, it's shocking to see a player of Tatum's pedigree getting two DNPs on this roster.

As for his fellow Celtics teammates Derrick White and Jrue Holiday , White has appeared in all five contests while Holiday has missed one but has started for the team sporadically.

With all of this drama surrounding Tatum's lack of playing time with Team USA, figures in the media are starting to question if this experience for Tatum in Paris is enough for him to remove himself from the pool of players for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Factor in the Olympic games being played in Los Angeles in 2028 which should lead to players more likely to try to participate, Tatum might not see a need to run it back with his previous experience and the influx of talent at his position.

There's no doubt that Tatum sitting out of the Olympics in 2028 would be a bad look for USA basketball, as it could have an effect on other NBA stars on their decision to participate.

Regardless, one game still remains today for USA basketball to show Tatum the respect he deserves and make a mark in the biggest game of the tournament. If he doesn't play, then the storyline of him opting out in 2028 could become more of a possibility.