Steve Kerr confirmed that Jayson Tatum will play in Team USA's upcoming match against South Sudan after being benched in the previous game. This decision follows significant scrutiny over Tatum's absence in the win against Serbia.
Team USA coach Steve Kerr announced that Jayson Tatum will be back in the lineup for Wednesday's game against South Sudan. This comes after Tatum, a three-time All-NBA First Team selection, was benched in Team USA's dominant victory over Serbia.
Jayson Tatum
| Team: |
Boston Celtics USA |
| Position: | SF |
| Age: | 26 |
| Height: | 203 cm |
| Weight: | 93 kg |
| Birth place: | St. Louis, United States of America |
"I'm not going to answer your next question, which is if he plays, who doesn't," Kerr stated via Joe Vardon from The Athletic.
"We're going to need him, and part of this job for me is to keep everybody engaged and ready because my experience with this, is crazy stuff happens," Kerr added.
The decision to bench Tatum in favor of starting Devin Booker and bringing Kevin Durant off the bench raised eyebrows. Durant, returning from injury, scored 23 points in the 110-84 win, making his first eight shots.
The benching of Tatum, who was the second-leading scorer on the gold-medal-winning Tokyo Olympic team, led to significant backlash in the United States.
Social media and sports pundits criticized Kerr for sidelining a player of Tatum's caliber. Kerr acknowledged the difficulty of his decision, saying,
"I thought I was crazy. I felt like an idiot for not playing someone of Tatum's caliber," Kerr admitted.
"The hardest part of this job is you're sitting at least a couple of guys who are world-class, some of the very best players on Earth," he continued. "On the one hand, it makes no sense at all. On the other, I'm asking these guys to just commit to winning one game and then move on to the next one. I have to do the same thing."
Kerr explained the context behind his decision. Tatum played in all five exhibition games, averaging 6.4 points and shooting 47 percent from the field, but missed all six of his three-point attempts.
The competition for the small forward spot was intense, especially with Durant's return.
"We need to control our emotions and focus on our principles to win," Kerr emphasized.
Derrick White's role as a defensive specialist has also impacted Tatum's minutes. White, who joined the team late, has been crucial in stopping opposing point guards and contributed key defensive plays against Serbia. His emergence has reduced Tyrese Haliburton's minutes rather than directly affecting Tatum's playing time.
As Team USA prepares for South Sudan, Kerr highlighted the need to adapt to their guard-heavy lineup, which put significant pressure on the Americans in a previous friendly match.
"We have to be better prepared for what they're going to do," Kerr said.
The decision to reintegrate Tatum into the lineup underscores the complexity of managing a team brimming with talent.
"Each game's different. We're going to need everybody," Kerr concluded.
"And so matchups will determine at times who we play, but we need everybody ready to roll and whatever it takes to win that game, that's what we need to do."
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