Workforce USA males’s basketball opened their 2024 Summer season Olympics marketing campaign with a 110-84 drubbing of Serbia on Sunday morning.
However the determination by head coach Steve Kerr to not play Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum within the contest definitely turned plenty of heads, together with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
“The reigning defending NBA champion Jayson Tatum, and you’ll’t discover minutes,” Smith mentioned in a video posted to his social media account on X. “In a 26-point lopsided victory, you’ll be able to’t discover one minute?”
The outspoken media persona mentioned he’s making an attempt to not cuss as a result of his pastor typically watches his exhibits and movies, however that did not cease Smith from screaming into his microphone.
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“Steve Kerr, that is some straight (expletive),” he mentioned. “You bought to be kidding me. Oooo, these folks getting on my rattling nerves and to have (Tatum) undergo and full NBA season after which undergo the playoffs and seize a championship and nonetheless take his offseason to hitch Workforce USA and to have a champion using the bench like he is some waterboy — you bought to be kidding me. Actually onerous in a 40-minute sport to play greater than 10 guys. It is Workforce USA. Zero?”
Tatum is anticipated to get some enjoying time in Workforce USA’s matchup with South Sudan on Wednesday, per The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach.
“For positive the toughest a part of this job is you are sitting at the least a few guys who’re world-class, a few of the easiest gamers on earth,” Kerr mentioned, per Himmelsbach. “On the one hand, it is not sensible in any respect. On the opposite, I am asking these guys to only decide to successful one sport after which transfer on to the following one.
“I’ve to do the identical factor. I felt like final night time these had been the mixtures that made probably the most sense. Jayson will play (Wednesday).”
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Whereas Tatum himself has not spoken out about not enjoying within the USA’s opening contest, 14-year NBA veteran Matt Barnes questions Kerr’s determination to not play the Celtics ahead, however FS1’s Colin Cowherd seems to have sided with the coach.
