Draymond Green has never been one to shy away from expressing his opinions, and this time he’s directing his critique at Team USA head coach Steve Kerr, who also happens to be Green’s coach with the Golden State Warriors. The outspoken forward recently took issue with Kerr’s decision to bench Jayson Tatum during Team USA’s win over Serbia in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In a recent episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” Green made it clear that he disagreed with the move, suggesting that Kerr and his coaching staff may have been overcompensating for what they perceived as a mistake. “Not playing [Tatum] was wrong,” Green stated. “We all know it was wrong. He should’ve played. He didn’t… What I don’t like about it is, now to me it feels like a covering my tracks, proving a point type of thing.”
Green’s comments come after Kerr admitted he felt “like an idiot” for not playing Tatum, who, along with Tyrese Haliburton, was one of only two Team USA players who didn’t see the court in the 110-84 victory over Serbia. Tatum, a three-time First-Team All-NBA player and a key member of the Boston Celtics, was quick to dispel rumors that he was benched due to illness, and Kerr confirmed it was purely a coaching decision based on matchups.
Kerr explained his decision to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, saying, “Every game’s going to be different based on matchups. Tatum is a total pro, he’s First-Team All-NBA three years in a row. I felt like an idiot not playing him, but you know, 40-minute game, you can’t play more than 10.”
In the subsequent game against South Sudan, Tatum returned to the starting lineup, though Joel Embiid, another key player, did not play. Despite this, Team USA secured a comfortable 103-86 win. When both Tatum and Embiid started in the following game against Puerto Rico, Jrue Holiday was notably absent due to an ankle injury.
Green believes that Team USA’s star-studded roster doesn’t need to be overly concerned with matchups and rotations. Instead, he suggests sticking to a consistent rotation regardless of the opponent. “Come out with a rotation and stick with it,” Green advised. “These teams aren’t good enough to where we’re trying to match their lineup. They got to match our lineup… We got the best players in the world. We’ll be fine.”
As Team USA continues its quest for gold, Kerr and his coaching staff will need to navigate the delicate balance of keeping all their stars engaged while optimizing their chances for victory. Green’s comments highlight the challenges of managing a roster filled with some of the NBA’s biggest names, each expecting to contribute significantly on the world stage.
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