Jayson Tatum did not have the smoothest transition from winning the NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics to barely getting playing time with Team USA in the Olympics.
Steph Curry, who defeated Tatum and the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals, watched as the reigning champion navigated a tricky situation in Paris. Star players not getting on the court can certainly spark frustration, though Curry seemed rather impressed with Tatum’s demeanor during the run to the gold medal.
“You don’t want to take for granted that a guy that accomplished everything he did coming off the Finals experience and actually winning,” Curry told Sports Illustrated. “When a situation like not playing in a game comes up, he knows how to digest it in real time. So you don’t want to take that for granted but you don’t want to overreact to it. Try to find balance.”
Curry continued: “All I told him is, ‘You’re a dog. You know who you are and embrace who you are. When it comes back around, you know you’re going to be asked to help our team at some point.’ That was my message. He was amazing the way he handled it. He never let it become something that impacted the group. You gotta give him credit for that because it’s not easy. We all expect greatness and we all want to be a part of it. He handled a very tough situation like a professional.”
Tatum certainly kept that chip on his shoulder entering the season and Boston’s title defense. Tatum averaged 33 points, six rebounds, and six assists with a pair of dominant 37-point outings against the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons. That stretch earned the Celtics star Eastern Conference Player of the Week to start the 2024-25 NBA season.
