Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green criticized his own head coach , Steve Kerr, following Team USA's tight Olympic Games semifinal against Serbia.
Team USA overcame a 17-point deficit as reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic looked to be surging Serbia toward an Olympic final matchup against France and Victor Wembanyama. Kerr relied on the Warriors' Steph Curry , who turned in a monstrous 36-point display, as LeBron James also recorded the second triple-double in US Men's Basketball history.
However, Green says Boston Celtics superstar and NBA champion Jayson Tatum should've played. Tatum found himself benched again by Kerr and out of the head coach's rotation.
"Not playing [Jayson Tatum] was wrong," Green said on his Draymond Green Show. "We all know it was wrong. He should've played. He didn't... From the outside looking in, [Kerr's response] comes off as, 'We made a mistake as a coaching staff.'"
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Team USA went on to win the semifinal affair 95-91 to set up a final with the host nation, scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Fans are questioning whether Tatum will even play a part, or whether the Celtics superstar is injured.
Tatum's mother, Brandy Cole, took to X to clear up her son's fitness status. Cole says Tatum is not injured and questioned Team USA's decision to snub the NBA star. "No he not," Tatum's mother responded to a fan asking if he is injured. "But if you find out what’s going on please let me know - unacceptable and makes NO SENSE."
Kerr is unlikely to bow to external pressure, with eyes laser-focused on retaining the men's basketball Olympic crown, having assembled one of the best-ever teams to grace the once-every-four-years spectacle. The head coach has also said Tatum's lack of minutes isn't down to the player.
"It's not what I'm not seeing from Jayson; it's what I've seen from the other guys," Kerr said Friday, according to the Boston Globe . "Like I've said many times during this tournament and the last six weeks, it's just hard to play 11 people, even in an NBA game.
"Our second unit was not great last night, but that group has been one of the bright spots on this team, especially on the defensive end," Kerr added. "So it's not about what Jayson is doing or not doing.
"It's just about combinations and the way that group has played together, the way Kevin [Durant] has filled in since he came back from his injury. It's just a math problem more than anything."
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