Jayson Tatum was back as a starter in the U.S. men’s basketball lineup during Wednesday night’s game against South Sudan after what he called a “humbling” benching on Sunday.
Coach Steve Kerr faced backlash after relegating Tatum to the sidelines during the U.S. opener against Serbia. Many found this unusual coming off of a championship win for the Celtics, which led to Tatum signing a five-year, $315 million contract (the largest in NBA history) and appearing on the cover of NBA 2K25.
“The competitor in you wants to play, obviously,” Tatum told the Boston Globe.