Basketball

“Steve’s all about winning” – Kevon Looney backs Steve Kerr for Jayson Tatum’s Olympic role

NBA champions Boston Celtics talisman Jayson Tatum surprisingly didn’t get a lot of game time in the Paris Olympics for Team USA. Ergo, the team’s head coach Steve Kerr’s decision was questioned by many experts however former Golden State Warriors centre Kevon Looney feels the chief coach made the right decision.

Tatum played in four of USA’s six games in Paris. He didn’t play in the semifinal clash against Serbia, which the USA won by 95-91 while bouncing back in the fourth quarter. Tatum came off the bench in the first quarter in the gold medal match against France on Saturday and played for 11 minutes. The 26-year-old scored two points and three rebounds in his short appearance.

“I know as a player, it sucks,” Looney told NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson Tuesday. “I know that they went out there to sacrifice and give minutes for our country, and not seeing him get minutes sometimes is always gonna be tough, especially dividing the talent, and then who’s deserving to play. But Steve’s all about winning. He’s going to do all the necessary things to win, and he did win.

“So, when he makes a call like that and it actually works out, you kind of have to take it. He’s a coach who won as a player, a general manager and a head coach. So, you kind of have to respect his basketball knowledge,” he added.

Tatum, on the other hand, admitted it was challenging for him to warm the benches as he hasn’t found himself in such a situation since he started playing as a young kid.

“It was a lot. In the age of social media, you see everything,” Tatum said. “You see all the tweets and the people on the podcasts and people on TV giving their opinion on whether they thought it was a good decision or it was an outrageous decision or whatever.

“Obviously, I wanted to contribute more, and I’ve never been in [this] situation. I started playing basketball at [age] 3 at the YMCA, and I’ve never not played. So, it was different, and it was challenging.”

This was USA’s fifth consecutive gold medal at the Olympics.

About the Author


Written by DafaNews

DafaNews brings you the most highlighted news in the world of Sports. It serves you up-to-date matches, scores, live streams, fantasy games and quizzes. Our news covers India's prestigious leagues and events – Premier League, Pro Kabbadi League, Cricket World Cup and many more. Follow DafaNews on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,Telegram and Youtube for more updates.

Related Post
Share
Published by
DafaNews

Recent Posts

India vs England 3rd ODI: Struggling England must find right balance against dominant Indians

India delivered a phenomenal performance in the second ODI, led brilliantly by the skipper. It's … Read More

February 11, 2025

Khalid Jamil says performance was not up to the mark after loss against Bengaluru FC

Jamshedpur FC head coach Khalid Jamil was not impressed with his team’s performance after suffering… Read More

February 11, 2025

Novak Djokovic makes honest admission about why he is still playing

Novak Djokovic has achieved almost everything in the record books. He has 24 Grand Slams… Read More

February 11, 2025

Liverpool’s Arne Slot calls shock FA Cup exit ‘unacceptable’

Liverpool’s manager Arne Slot has called the shock FA Cup exit as unacceptable. The Reds… Read More

February 11, 2025

Gerard Zaragoza expresses delight after much-needed win against Jamshedpur FC

Bengaluru FC head coach Gerard Zaragoza was delighted after a comprehensive 3-0 win against Jamshedpur… Read More

February 11, 2025

Luka Doncic scores 14 in 24 minutes in debut win with Lakers

After the shock trade, Luka Doncic finally made his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers.… Read More

February 11, 2025