Jayson Tatum says limited role in Paris won’t affect ’28 decision

PARIS — Jayson Tatum stated his restricted position enjoying for Crew USA this summer season is not going to have an effect on his determination to play for the nationwide crew sooner or later.

Tatum didn’t play in two of the six video games within the Olympics, together with the semifinal victory over Serbia on Thursday. He then got here off the bench within the first quarter and performed 11 minutes in Crew USA’s victory within the gold medal recreation Saturday towards France, scoring two factors with three rebounds.

“It was a troublesome private expertise on the courtroom, however I am not going to make any determination off feelings,” Tatum stated. “When you requested me proper now if I used to be going to play in 2028 — it’s 4 years from now and I [would have] to take time and take into consideration that. So I am not going to make any determination primarily based off how this expertise was or how I felt individually.”

Crew USA coach Steve Kerr stated repeatedly his alternative to not play Tatum was not primarily based on efficiency however matchups. Tatum missed each video games towards Serbia, the place Kerr usually performed an even bigger lineup. He additionally was typically enjoying behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant, who performed on the second unit for the primary 5 video games till beginning within the closing.

Kerr sat starter Joel Embiid for a recreation towards a smaller South Sudan. He sat Derrick White in the course of the gold medal recreation. Tyrese Haliburton did not play in three video games. Tatum stated a number of instances after the sport that he was thrilled with profitable his second gold medal and did not need his state of affairs to remove from the crew’s success.

However he additionally acknowledged, as a three-time All-NBA participant and lately topped NBA champion, he was listening to so much about it from residence.

“Lots of people textual content me and reached out and stated ‘Be certain this fuels you,’ which I admire. There’s lots of people that care about me,” Tatum stated. “I believe the powerful half is sure, you should use issues to gasoline you, however I am nonetheless human.

“…A part of being within the second, I’ve sacrificed and put so much into this recreation and work actually, actually onerous. So within the second it’s powerful. You are not essentially anxious about fueling me for November or [whenever] the season is, however like I stated, it is one thing I am going to remove from this and study from this expertise. It is undoubtedly difficult and humbling on the identical time.”