Jayson Tatum ’s challenging experience in the 2024 Olympics is still a talking point among NBA personalities. Some think it should add fuel to the fire; others say it’s not a big deal and the Boston Celtics superstar should move on. For former NBA veteran Al Harrington , Tatum has all the reasons to be mad after what he went through.
“If anything, what I look at with Jayson (Tatum), I feel like out of everybody superstars, he has more motivation than any superstar ever because people always poopin’ on him,” Harrington said on The Mark Jackson Show. “Now, it’s just like, I won the championship, I got the biggest contract in history and then I went to the Olympics and I sat the bench. So now, this season, if I was him, I’m so locked in.”
Tatum always has a chip on his shoulder after falling short, many times of the ultimate goal in seasons past. Now that he’s an NBA champion, the 2017 third-overall pick won’t be lacking the drive to continue chasing greatness because, for some reason, he continues to get overlooked.
‘Handled like a true pro’
Before going with his scorched Earth take, the 1998 first-round pick first went with the ‘politically right’ answer.
“I take my hat off to him, he handled it like the ultimate professional…I think it was a humbling experience for him when you look at two of his teammates playing all the minutes when he was the best player, the highest paid,” remarked Harrington. “If KD didn’t get back, I think he would have been fine… When you look at that team, you can’t have five scorers. You need somebody out there defending, doing the dirty work.”
Regardless, the former Naismith Prep Player of the Year thought it was a travesty not to find minutes for a guy of Tatum’s caliber. The Duke product is versatile enough to play three positions, and he’s not a slouch defensively. According to Harrington, there should be no way Tatum’s ‘lesser teammates,’ especially Derrick White, should get more run over him.
“I’m not going”
Tatum has addressed the 2028 Olympics question before but has not answered definitively. The versatile forward still left the door open for him to play in Los Angeles four years from now. However, if Al were put in Jayson’s shoes, he would give a hypothetical invite a hard pass.
“I’m not going. If everybody, the same people is still… if Grant Hill is still in charge, and I mean, if (Steve) Kerr did, for sure no,” the now marijuana mogul answered without hesitation. “Yeah, but I’m not going. I got my gold medal. There’s nothing else for him to prove, really.”
Although Harrington would shoot down that offer as soon as it comes, the New Jersey native admitted Jayson is too nice of a guy to hold grudges. However, the five-time NBA All-Star doesn’t need to oblige after they did him dirty in Paris. Jayson Tatum may stay silent for now, but his absence in 2028 would speak volumes.
Related: "Started playing basketball at 3 at the YMCA, and I've never not played" - Jayson Tatum addresses his Olympics benching
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