Steve Kerr managed to quiet down the loud criticisms and questions regarding Jayson Tatum with a definitive answer.“Jayson will play.” Coach Kerr was, of course, referring to Team USA’s matchup against South Sudan. The Warriors head coach was at the receiving end of much ridicule for not including the 2023-24 NBA champion in the Olympic opener. While it’s true that this year’s American men’s basketball team boasts some of the, if not THE, elite talents that the NBA has to offer, and therefore tough decisions are part of Kerr’s job description, not playing Tatum seemed a little too tough a pill to swallow.

Especially considering the fact that he wasn’t sidelined with an injury or illness. Responding to it all, the 4x NBA champion coach admitted he felt like an idiot. And despite the sudden announcement, JT handled it well. Well, there wasn’t exactly anything else for the 26-year-old to say or do. It’s not like he can simply throw a tantrum and get his way.

Leaving Jayson Tatum off the floor was a major blunder, says 2014 WNBA No. 1 pick

It was clear that Jayson wasn’t too pleased with the idea. Or that’s what WNBA star and ESPN broadcaster, Chiney Ogwumike, believes to be the case. Joining Malika Andrews on NBA Today, the 32-year-old gave her take on the whole situation. Andrews specifically focused on Kerr’s statement about the general decision-making involved in Olympic and FIBA tournaments. “Our job, as a staff, is to make sure we’re keeping everybody engaged and ready.”

The ESPN journalist pointed out that engaged could very well be a synonym for “happy,” and, as such, how important was it to keep Jayson Tatum happy? “It’s very important,” Ogwumike stated emphatically. “This was a beast of Steve Kerr’s creation because we all know Jayson Tatum is comparable to a Derrick White or even a Jrue Holiday when it comes to talent. We just saw it on the greatest of stages and so for this situation to be something he had some controlling.”

“You could have thrown him a couple of minutes. You were there, but you chose to communicate that we don’t think you’re a fit per se in this one game. And it wasn’t just a game in the middle of a tournament when people are tired and you’re going to rest some guys at certain points. This was game one of the Olympic tournament! That is a tough pill to swallow if you’re Jayson Tatum. But I do think that moving forward there was going to be some intentionality to make sure he feels good.”

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There’s no doubt that JT is in any way lacking when it comes to talent. However, the position that Steve Kerr is in now is something no one would be envious of. The current 12-man roster overloaded with the finest the NBA has to offer naturally means stepping on a few toes. But that, according to Chiney Ogwumike, shouldn’t have been Tatum.

Despite the snub, Ogwumike believes JT remains motivated

Kerr’s reasoning for not playing Jayson Tatum was that he wanted to give Kevin Durant minutes. The Suns’ star forward hadn’t taken the floor during any of the exhibition matches thanks to a calf injury. Also, going against Serbia, Coach Kerr believed size would make a world of difference, having thrown three centers at Nikola Jokić.

Despite sounding off-key, Kerr might have to be forgiven purely due to the factor we mentioned above – the elite talent spread out in front of him. In any given matchup, a maximum of 10 players would see game time. There will always be 2 who will have to sacrifice. And when this is a team made up of LeBron James, Steph Curry, Holiday, and KD, it leaves you with little to no choice. And when you have someone like Anthony Edwards also making his case like no tomorrow, as a coach, you simply have to take note of it.

Then there’s also the aspect that for many, this could very well be the last time they step foot in the Olympics as a player. Unfortunately, that’s also another reason that Steve Kerr needs to consider. Players like Tatum, Edwards, and more will be the only ones left in the NBA when Bron, Curry, and KD retire to lead Team USA. And one can’t help but wonder just how much it could affect JT’s enthusiasm for future Olympic endeavors.

Ogwumike, despite not being the happiest with Kerr’s decision, believes there are enough opportunities for Jayson to showcase his prowess. Although Tatum might feel slighted, the ex-Stanford product said, “He’s going to be motivated.” For the future Team USA’s sake, we hope that’s the case.