Charles Barkley Criticizes Team USA Over Jayson Tatum's Bench Time

Photo: Instagram/Charles Barkley

Jayson Tatum had a rough time during the Olympics. While most of Team USA played in their win against Serbia, Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton stayed on the bench the entire game. Even when the game was nearly decided, coach Steve Kerr didn’t put the two All-Stars in.

Many people were confused about why Tatum, a star for the Boston Celtics, wasn’t given a chance to play. One of the most outspoken critics was Charles Barkley. In an interview on SiriusXM Radio, Barkley, a former Olympian, expressed his frustration with Kerr’s decision.

“He’s got to play… Everyone on the team has to play. Do you have to play 25 to 30 minutes? No, but it’s the Olympics,” Barkley said. He noted that Tatum isn’t much of a downgrade from Kevin Durant, so even in a close game, Tatum should have had a chance to play.

Photo: Instagram/Charles Barkley

“It’s not like there’s a huge drop-off with Jayson Tatum in the game… Like, come on, man… everybody deserves to play at least ten minutes,” Barkley continued.

Tatum didn’t play at all in the first half against Serbia. Fans thought he might get a chance in the second half, especially when Durant’s scoring slowed down, but he never got on the court.


Tatum will have another chance to play in a few days against South Sudan. In a previous game against them, he played 16 minutes and scored nine points off the bench.

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Source: ATHLON SPORTS 

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