Charles Barkley FIRES shots at Steve Kerr for benching Jayson Tatum whole game at Paris Olympics
Steve Kerr could have had multiple units to throw at in the Olympics.
Charles Barkley fires shots at Team USA head coach Steve Kerr for benching Jayson Tatum whole game at Paris Olympics 2024
The heat is piling up on Steve Kerr. That was expected when he left Jayson Tatum out of the game against Serbia completely. The NBA Champion did not even register a minute in Team USA’s first game of the Paris Olympics 2024. Many have questioned the logic behind not even playing him for a minute. Charles Barkley also asked the same citing the 1992 Dream Team as a reference.
The Hall of Famer was a guest on SiriusXM NBA Radio to talk about all things basketball and his future on TV. When asked about Tatum not playing a single minute, Barkley said:
First of all, he's gotta play. It's the Olympics. It's not a huge downgrade putting Jayson Tatum in the game. Chuck Daly did a fabulous job. He had two starting units. He said, ‘You guys are gonna start when we’re playing against the best teams. Imma have a second starting five for certain games. I don’t think any of us played over 25 minutes.Charles Barkley on SiriusXM NBA Radio
Suggesting that Kerr could have found a slot in the game. Especially, when it was out of reach for the Serbians with 9 minutes left in the game.
Charles Barkley alluded to his time with the 1992 Dream Team when head coach, Chuck Daly had two starting lineups. That way, 10 players are being rotated in games, minutes-wise. The remaining two players were subbed in to keep the game going.
The least Steve Kerr could do was give Jayson Tatum a feel for Olympics-level competition. The quality of international basketball has improved drastically over the years. After all, he would not have downgraded Team USA in any way.
Steve Kerr might have a plan for Jayson Tatum
There are already enough criticisms on Steve Kerr‘s head. Benching Jayson Tatum in their game against Serbia was eye-opening for everyone. However, many did not notice that Tyrese Haliburton also did not play. Both of these players have played under Steve Kerr for Team USA before. It is not like he does not know what they bring. Additionally, he knows these players have foregone their rest to play for their country.
Therefore, the 4-time Champion head coach must have a plan on his mind. He might look to utilize the two in the upcoming games against South Sudan and Puerto Rico. Tatum’s game will work best against the long and rangy Africans. Whereas, Haliburton might have a field day against Puerto Rico.
But that still does not justify why the two did not play a single minute according to many. That said, Steve Kerr might not be Chuck Daly. This explains why he might have a specific plan of his own for the Paris Olympics 2024. One that involves not revealing their positives and resting the senior superstars before the knockout stages.
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Joseph Varghese
(2268 Articles Published)