Jrue Holiday shares how Jayson Tatum handled Olympics benching

Jayson Tatum and Team USA took home another gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

But the Celtics star didn’t exactly have a featured role on Steve Kerr’s squad during the international tournament. 

Despite winning a gold medal during the 2020 Summer Games and serving as the second-leading scorer on that roster, Tatum — fresh off an NBA title and first-team All-NBA selection with Boston this spring — was more of an afterthought on the 2024 roster. 

Tatum was benched twice in Team USA’s matchups against Serbia during the Olympics, and only played 11 minutes in the gold-medal game against France.

Several current and former NBA players criticized Kerr and Team USA for Tatum’s limited role in the Olympics — including Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce, and Bob Cousy. 

On Wednesday, Jrue Holiday — Tatum’s teammate with both the Celtics and Team USA — was asked about how Tatum handled his limited reps during the Olympics. 

“I think everybody knows JT — he’s the ultimate professional,” Holiday said Wednesday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Raising Cane’s location in Downtown Crossing. “He already knows what it is and what the ultimate goal is. I don’t think he needed any encouragement. I think it’s more so like staying ready whenever it’s his time to be called.”

Tatum, who only scored 21 total points over four games during the Olympics, acknowledged after the gold-medal game that his latest stint with Team USA had its fair share of challenges. 

“A lot of people text me and reached out and said ‘Make sure this fuels you,’ which I appreciate, Tatum told reporters. “I think the tough part is yes, you can use things to fuel you, but I’m still human. … I’ve sacrificed and put a lot into this game and work really, really hard. So in the moment it is tough.”

While Tatum struggled to carve out a significant role with Team USA, both Holiday and another Celtics teammate in Derrick White were utilized as dependable defenders in the backcourt for Steve Kerr en route to another gold medal. 

“Playing with them is pretty comfortable,” Holiday said of teaming up with Tatum and White in Paris. “We did it for a while, and we won together, but to go over there and kind of represent our country together was really cool.”

Holiday’s summer in 2024 has mimicked his 2021 campaign — with the veteran guard winning an NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks before taking home gold with Team USA in Tokyo. 

Even though the defensive stalwart has not had much time to rest amid Boston’s extended playoff run and his participation in the Olympics, Holiday feels as though his time spent alongside other basketball greats in Paris was beneficial — beyond just taking home some more hardware. 

“Those are some of the best players in the world,” Holiday said of his latest stint with Team USA. “It was fun to go out there and play. … An amazing experience. Played with some legends and against some legends, and again, brought back some gold.”