The Warriors star shares a message with Jayson Tatum after sitting on the bench at the Olympics

Just a few weeks later, Jayson Tatum was crowned NBA champion and sat on the bench for parts of the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Team USA coach Steve Kerr decided to bench the Boston Celtics star, which was a questionable move. He attributed it to simply choosing the combination that “made the most sense” for the team. Tatum said he wasn't “mourning” about sitting on the bench, but Steph Curry helped him navigate the situation en route to a gold medal.

“I just told him, 'You're a dog.' You know who you are and accept who you are. “When the time comes again, you know that at some point you will be asked to help our team. “That was my message,” the Golden State Warriors star told Sports Illustrated. “He was great the way he handled it. He never let it become something that influenced the group. You have to give him credit for that because it's not easy. We all expect great things and we all want to be a part of it. He handled a very difficult situation like a professional.”

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Even when Tatum was on the floor, his numbers didn't fall off the page. The five-time All-Star averaged 5.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and one assist in 17.7 minutes per game despite being a crucial part of Team USA's 2020 squad – where he was the second-leading scorer – and a regular in The exhibition games were used in the run-up to this year's Olympic Games.

Tatum admitted sitting on the bench was a “tough personal experience” but he wouldn't make his decision about the 2028 Olympics based on how he felt in that moment.

“If you asked me now if I would play in 2028, it's four years and I (would have) had to take the time and think about it,” he told reporters in Paris. “Therefore, I will not make a decision based on this experience or my personal feelings.”

But for now, Tatum, who was named the NBA's Eastern Conference Player of the Week, is focused on the upcoming season as the Celtics look to continue their early-season dominance.