While there were many reasons to celebrate for Team USA supporters, many people were surprised that Jayson Tatum did not touch the court during the 40-minute game.
After the victory, head coach Steve Kerr was questioned about Tatum’s absence from the starting lineup in the opener. He was quite direct about his own error in not starting him.
On Sunday afternoon, Kerr selected ten players, including Derrick White, a late addition to Team USA this season, and Tatum’s Boston Celtics colleagues, starting shooting guard Jrue Holiday.
You can only have ten [players] in a forty-minute game,” Kerr stated. “I believe [Tatum] is a fantastic man, a tremendous player, and he handled it so well. The following game, he’ll be back there.”
In the 100-meter butterfly event at the Paris Olympics, Americans Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh placed 1-2.
According to Kerr, he also told Tatum prior to the game that his playing time might be limited, if it occurs at all.
