Jayson Tatum: ‘Hell of an Experience’ to Win 2nd Olympic Gold Medal with USA in Paris

Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVAugust 22, 2024

Set Number: X164583 TK1

Jayson Tatum has had quite the run in the past few months, winning his first NBA title with the Boston Celtics in June and his second Olympics gold medal with Team USA Basketball in August.

“It’s been a crazy summer,” he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Wednesday (h/t Noa Dalzell of SB Nation). “Fortunate enough to win my second Olympic gold medal on the national team. That was a hell of an experience. Finally won an NBA championship, something I’ve been working on for a very, very long time. Got extremely close a few times, but finally got over the hump. That was special, feel like I’ve gotten the weight of the world off my shoulders.”

Tatum didn’t play a huge role for Team USA, appearing in four of the team’s six games and averaging 5.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 17.7 minutes per game. Head coach Steve Kerr preferred options like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker and Jrue Holiday alongside a true center and point guard.

While the United States had a few close calls—which in turn led to a downright fervor among Tatum supporters for him to see more minutes—Kerr ultimately pushed the right buttons en route to a fifth straight gold medal for the Team USA men.