Yet Tatum didn’t play in the USA’s 110-84 victory against Serbia Sunday in the men’s 5×5 basketball Group C opener for both teams at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

U.S. coach Steve Kerr explained his decision and talked to Tatum about it.

“It’s really hard in a 40-minute game to play more than 10 guys, and with Kevin (Durant) coming back, I just went to the combinations that I felt would make the most sense,” Kerr said. “It seems crazy. I thought I was crazy when I looked at everything and determined these are the lineups I want to get to. Jayson’s first-team All-NBA three years in a row, he’s one of the best players in the world.

“He’s incredibly professional, and that’s tonight. That doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way the rest of the tournament, so he’ll make his mark. But the key, and our guys know this, is to put all the NBA stuff in the rearview mirror and just win six games, and Jayson’s the ultimate pro and champion and he handled it well and he’s going to be ready for the next one.”