Charles Barkley has never been one to shy away from sharing his thoughts. Be it a player or a team coach, Chuck has something for everyone. We all remember when Jayson Tatum was benched during the 2024 Paris Olympics and what Steve Kerr had to face afterward.
Recently, Barkley stirred the pot on coach Kerr’s decision to keep Tatum on the bench during the Paris Olympics. The former basketball star took a playful jab during the latest episode of Inside the NBA on TNT.
“Great player. just not good enough to play in the Olympics. One of the five best in the East, but not good enough to represent his country,” Barkley quipped.
Charles Barkley on Jayson Tatum:
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 24, 2025
"Great player, just not good enough to play in the Olympics…One of the five best in the East, but not good enough to represent his country." 😂😂
(h/t @ClutchPoints)
pic.twitter.com/EPsqJL3Vgi
Many fans thought Kerr made a mistake by not playing Tatum more, especially since he is such an important player for the Boston Celtics. Barkley’s joke hits home for many Celtics supporters, who believed Tatum deserved the chance to shine on the international stage. As Barkley has pointed out, being a top athlete like Tatum comes with a lot of pressure.
The Celtics are focused on proving themselves this season, especially after suffering some surprising losses. Tatum has been impressive, averaging 27.4 points and almost 10 rebounds per game, which shows he is ready to step up.
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Jayson Tatum Makes It To NBA All-Star Starter For Fifth Time
Whether or not Steve Kerr thinks highly of Jayson Tatum, he is still signing as bright. Boston Celtics superstar recently hit a remarkable milestone in his career. JT is named as an NBA All-Star starter for the fifth consecutive season. This comes from his consistent performance on the court.
Also Tatum has been chosen for a total of six All-Star games throughout his career. The Celtics star entered a recent matchup against the Lakers averaging an impressive 27.4 points, along with 9.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. He is a crucial part of Boston’s strong 31-13 record this season.
Making his 6th #NBAAllStar appearance… Jayson Tatum of the @celtics.
— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) January 24, 2025
Drafted as the 3rd pick in 2017 out of Duke, @jaytatum0 is averaging 27.4 PPG, 9.2 RPG and 5.5 APG for the Celtics this season. pic.twitter.com/O05WV1vo13
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised Tatum’s hunger for getting better in each and every game.
“He stays hungry about getting better. He listens to it, and he believes it, but he doesn’t let it distract him from the most important thing. It’s continuing to get better, and it’s winning a championship and being a great teammate. So those things are important, those affirmations, because that’s what the guys work hard for,” coach Mazzull said.
Although he has mostly been in the balance with his approach to both success and setbacks.
