NBA Champion, NBA 2K25 cover athlete, Sports Illustrated cover guy: Jayson Tatum is a lot of things. The Boston Celtics star has had quite a few months, and now, he’s in Paris trying to help Team USA win a gold medal.
Tatum was a part of the 2020 roster that won a gold medal in Tokyo. Not only was he one of the leading scorers on the squad, but at just 22 years old. People tabbed him as the next face of USA basketball.
Fast forward to this summer, and Tatum’s stint at the Olympics started off with a very loud flop. Head coach Steve Kerr decided to bench him for the team’s opener against Serbia, and nobody could stop talking about it.
He was quickly placed back into the starting lineup in each of the following games, but his role isn’t the same as what it was in the 2020 Olympics. And that’s okay.
Jayson Tatum needs to help Team USA with his rebounding
With LeBron James taking over as the team’s lead, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and even Anthony Davis (at times) make up the main supporting cast. Tatum doesn’t have the ball in his hands nearly as much.
Tatum isn’t being used as a scorer, playmaker, or ball-handler as he has been for the Celtics. So, he’s had to find new ways to make an impact, and it all starts on the glass.
The Celtics star has been the best rebounder on Team USA through their short stint in Paris thus far. He just put up a double-double against Puerto Rico, and before that, he snagged five boards against South Sudan.
Throughout the entire postseason, Tatum was heralded for his playmaking and ability to make an impact all over the floor for the Celtics. But he was also quietly one of the best rebounders in the playoffs. He averaged 9.7 rebounds per game in the playoffs, which ranked ninth, but also ranked fourth amongst players who appeared in at least 10 games.
For now, Tatum isn’t going to be an offensive focal point for Team USA. That distinction has been left for James and Durant. So, if he wants to stay on the floor, it’ll have to be by rebounding.
He’s an elite athlete, a top-notch defender, and adept at cutting off the ball. All of that can be and should be accentuated by his nose for the basketball.