SUMMARY
- Jayson Tatum did not play for Team USA vs Serbia because Steve Kerr chose to give minutes to Kevin Durant instead.
- Dwight Howard jokingly tried to recruit Tatum to play with him overseas.
Jayson Tatum was seemingly one of the strongest pieces on Team USA Basketball until their opening game against Serbia in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Tatum recently won his first title in the NBA which makes him one of the best players in the league. However, USAB’s roster is filled with stars, unlike other competing rosters in the Olympics.
The Boston Celtics star is possibly one of the most versatile players on the team. Given the chance, Tatum would play positions one through five with ease. However, it was surprising when Steve Kerr decided not to play Tatum against Serbia. The 26-year-old had a “DNP coach’s decision” against his name which caused a stir amongst fans. And amidst all the chaos, Dwight Howard struck again.
Dwight Howard wants Jayson Tatum to join the Taiwan Mustangs
The former NBA Champion has had a tendency to recruit players from the league to join him and his team overseas. Dwight Howard has individually called several athletes including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson. This time, upon learning that Jayson Tatum wasn’t allowed on the floor against Serbia, Howard took to social media saying, “Jayson we could use another champ in my league.”
Dwight Howard is trying to recruit Jayson Tatum to Taiwan:
“We could use another champ in my league 🤷🏽♂️”
(h/t @ClutchPoints) pic.twitter.com/pXfLIkpgTa
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 30, 2024
Howard was recently picked up by the Taiwan Mustangs, a team that competes in The Asian Tournament. DeMarcus Cousins was also signed by the team earlier in June. Obviously, Howard’s request was simply a joke but Tatum himself isn’t too upset about Kerr’s decision to keep him off the floor.
Steve Kerr regrets snubbing Jayson Tatum during the Olympics opener vs. Serbia
Team USA Basketball had a dominant win against the Serbian National Team despite Jayson Tatum being off the floor. When Steve Kerr was asked about it, he claimed it was a simple strategy influenced by Durant’s return after a minor calf injury. The Phoenix Suns veteran did not appear during Team USA’s exhibition games.
Steve Kerr on not playing Jayson Tatum in Olympic opener vs. Serbia:
“Jayson handled it well. I talked to him today before the game, that it may play out this way just with Kevin Durant coming back… I felt like an idiot not playing him… In a 40-minute game, you can’t play… pic.twitter.com/qc8s3kjsNP
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 29, 2024
“Jayson handled it well. I talked to him today before the game, that it may play out this way just with Kevin Durant coming back… I felt like an idiot not playing him,” Kerr said. Durant had a dominant showing against Serbia despite it being his first game with this new team. He scored 21 points during the first half and finished with 23 points in 17 minutes while coming off the bench. The coach also added that Tatum will appear on the floor against South Sudan that’s scheduled to take place on July 30.
