Steve Kerr, Team USA coach in the 2024 Paris Olympics, is guiding the team to clinch another gold for the country. However, his recent decisions have led to heavy criticism from the players, analysts, and fans.
During a recent episode of the show First Take, the host, Stephen A. Smith, criticized Kerr for benching Boston Celtics star player Jayson Tatum in Team USA’s first 2024 Olympic game against Serbia.
“Jayson Tatum ain’t even 28. The man has been to five conference finals, two NBA Finals, and first-team All-NBA the last three years, and in the process, he swept KD (Kevin Durant) one of the years. OK, let’s keep that in mind, and is the reigning, defending NBA champion… And before you even go out for warmups, you’re letting him know, ‘We got ten players we gonna play before you.’ ‘We might not get you.’ Do you have any idea how insulting that is?” Smith said.
Smith praised Tatum for his outstanding career accomplishments, which included reaching five conference finals, making an NBA Finals appearance, and earning three consecutive first-team All-NBA honors. The host concluded by noting that Tatum is the current NBA champion.
Derrick White, who replaced Kawhi Leonard on Team USA’s roster, was chosen to play in that game instead of Tatum. This sparked a debate among fans and analysts. Smith clarified that benching the reigning NBA champion during the opening game in favor of other less worthy guys was extremely offensive.
Stephen A. Smith Highlighted Jayson Tatum’s Significance In The Game
Tatum gave his best effort for the franchise’s 18th title in the 2023-24 NBA season. Alongside fellow star Jaylen Brown, he delivered consistently outstanding performances throughout the season.
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However, Kerr did not take these efforts into account for international competitions. Smith further emphasized Tatum’s importance in the game, stating that he is not the player Kerr should bench.
“Tatum has it. He isn’t someone you bench. His 17-minute play, with four points in the recent game, doesn’t matter. I don’t really care if he scores nothing. He shouldn’t have zero minutes because there are 10 guys who shouldn’t have precedence over him. That’s ‘Nonsensical.” Smith added.
Team USA’s next game in the 2024 Olympics is against Puerto Rico on August 3rd. It will be fascinating to see Tatum play in the next game; otherwise, the ongoing debate will continue.
