Jayson Tatum Has Honest Take On Barely Playing For Team USA

Jayson Tatum turned into the butt of several jokes due to his lack of playing time for Team USA throughout the Paris Olympics. But the Boston Celtics forward didn't let the chatter get to him.

Tatum received two DNPs over Team USA's six-game run in the 2024 Summer Games. The NBA champion played just 11 minutes in Team USA's gold medal matchup against France at Bercy Arena.

Given the absolutely stacked roster that the Americans fielded, it's no surprise that they didn't need Tatum to claim gold.

However, the Celtics star's lack of a sizable role still became a serious talking point throughout the tournament. Tatum has heard the noise but tried to downplay the narrative when asked about it following Team USA's win on Saturday.

“I keep trying to say, I’m trying not to make it about me, all the storylines over the last few days — we won,” Tatum said, via The Athletic's Joe Vardon. “We won a gold medal, and that was most important.”

In the four games Tatum did play, he averaged a meager 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per contest.

While the five-time All-Star hasn't expressed any direct frustration about his minimal role, Tatum's recent social media activity has left a few Team USA supports unsure .

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