NBA Rumors: Jayson Tatum 'Didn't Have Any Truly Good Days' On-Court for Team USA

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum's performance for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics "called his superstar status into question" around the NBA, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick.

"League sources say the five-time All-Star didn't have any truly good days on the court — in practice or games — in his entire time leading up to the gold-medal win over France," Amick wrote.

Tatum appeared in four games and was benched during group stage and semifinal games against Serbia. Only Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton played in fewer games.

Team USA head coach Steve Kerr said at the time that the decision to bench Tatum was made "based on matchups."

Tatum went on to average 5.3 points per game in limited minutes. He contributed just two points on 1-of-3 shooting during the gold medal game against France.

The Celtics star said after the gold medal win that the Olympics had been a "tough personal experience" after playing a key role in the Celtics' run to the 2024 NBA title.

"I've sacrificed and put a lot into this game and work really, really hard. So in the moment it is tough... it's something I'm going to take away from this and learn from this experience," Tatum said in August (h/t ESPN's Brian Windhorst.) "It's definitely challenging and humbling at the same time."

There are no questions about Tatum's star status in the 14 games he has played so far in the 2024-25 NBA season.

The Celtics forward is averaging 29.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.4 steals to help lead his team start their title defense with an 11-3 season-opening record. He is playing 36.4 minutes per game and leading the Celtics with a 30.3 percent usage rate.

Tatum said in August that people had told him to use his benching during the Olympics to fuel him going forward. Whatever his motivation, his performance has been enough to earn him MVP buzz in this early stretch of the season.