Jayson Tatum Offers NSFW Message to Fans Still Trolling Him for Getting Benched at Olympics

Mar. 15, 2025

Jayson Tatum.Photo:Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty

Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty

“I mean, that’s part of this job, that’s what I’ve been dealing with my entire career. People want me to be louder, people want me to be meaner, whatever. One thing about Jayson is, I’m always going to do what the f— I want to do,” said Tatum.

“People who react differently, it’s easy to say if they were in my shoes what they would do," he continued. “I appreciate when it comes from a good place, but like I said I’m always going to react, respond, approach things the way I want to.”

Jayson Tatum.Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty

Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty

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Team USA coach Steve Kerr — who is also the head coach of the Warriors — talked before Wednesday’s game about why he benched Tatum during the men’s basketball semifinal against Serbia, which the U.S. went on to win 95-91 to secure their spot in the gold medal final.

“We can’t control the story,” Kerr said. “So that’s this job. I tell our players all the time, the NBA is incredibly popular, and the reason it’s so lucrative and a part of the deal is you’re gonna be in the story. So that can be tough. But from the beginning in Vegas the whole thing was we’re in this together.”

“We’ve got 12 Hall of Famers and we’re just committed to winning, and we won a gold medal,” he continued. “So I don’t give it a whole lot of thought other than that I didn’t enjoy not playing Jayson against Serbia, not playing Joel against South Sudan. Those are not fun decisions.”

The Boston Celtics will next face the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, Nov. 8.

source: people.com