Jayson Tatum was the subject of controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite being a top player for the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics, Tatum was benched for a significant portion of his gold medal campaign with Team USA.
Tatum averaged 4.2 points and 4.2 rebounds while playing in five of the Team USA’s seven games. Notably, the five-time All-Star was inactive during their closely contested semifinals match against Serbia.
Per The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla flew to Paris to check up on Tatum.
"I think even when Tatum was struggling during the Olympics, Mazzulla flew out to France to kinda make sure everything was okay. That guy is locked in and knows his roster. I think the jump he made from Year 1 to Year 2 has been astounding. People love that dude.”
Mazzulla, who coached the Celtics to an NBA title in his second year as head coach, continues to earn high praise for his leadership. He will enter next season with a returning lead cast of Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White.
