After Team USA’s thrilling opening-round Olympic victory over Serbia, former NBA veteran Austin Rivers defended two of the league’s current players, Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum, on social media.
Even though their side won easily on Sunday night, 110-84, supporters could not stop wondering why Tatum and Haliburton were not used in the game.
However, some of the fans made fun of the aforementioned players online. Austin Rivers responded to the taunts with a tweet, asking the onlookers to stop talking.
On the internet, there are individuals making fun of Tatum and Hali for not getting burned. That’s really cheesy of you all! These two guys will both contribute at some point throughout these games. They stood the entire game to encourage their team. They are the embodiment of winners,” Rivers wrote on Twitter.
We got people on the internet clowning Tatum and Hali for getting no burn. Yall corny for that!! Both these dudes were standing the whole game supporting their squad, and both will have an impact at some point or another in these games. They are what winners look like 💯
— Austin Rivers (@AustinRivers25) July 29, 2024
Tatum participated in Team USA’s 2021 Olympic lineup in Tokyo and helped the group win its 16th gold medal.
The six-foot-eight forward was the driving force behind the Boston Celtics’ emerging 2020s dynasty, helping them to two NBA Finals in the previous three seasons and this year’s championship. He earned invaluable knowledge from what would be his first championship as a professional.
Tyrese Haliburton, however, competed for the United States in the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Pasay, Philippines, as a member of the Steve Kerr-coached 2023 Team USA.
The six-foot-five guard was one of the surprises of last season, even if he didn’t finish on the podium. His outstanding play carried over into the Indiana Pacers’ campaign, where he established himself as their new star.
Austin Rivers, where are you now?
Austin Rivers, a six-foot-four guard, was a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 2022–2023 squad. He played with Anthony Edwards, another member of Team USA. Similar to Haliburton, Edwards made waves in the FIBA Basketball World Cup the previous year, which is why Kerr brought him back for the national team’s Parisian responsibilities.
Rivers, the son of current Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc, chose to accept a position as an analyst for ESPN’s NBA broadcast at the conclusion of his one-year contract with the Timberwolves, therefore ending his playing career.
Though he will only turn 32 on Thursday and likely have many more years to play at his best, one could argue that Austin, the 10th overall choice in the 2012 NBA Draft, may still think about playing again.
Regarding Jayson Tatum’s potential to play in Team USA’s upcoming match, Steve Kerr
After defeating Serbia 110-84 on Sunday, the men’s basketball squad from squad USA made its 2024 Summer Olympics debut in Paris.
Nonetheless, the healthy scratch of Boston Celtics five-time All-Star forward Jayson Tatum was one of the most prominent stories to emerge from the Americans’ victory.
Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers and Tatum were the only two players from Kerr’s team who did not play on Sunday.
The veteran head coach of the Golden State Warriors announced on Monday that Tatum will participate in Team USA’s second match, which is scheduled for Wednesday against South Sudan.
“Jayson will play (Wednesday),” Kerr stated, as per a Brian Windhorst report from ESPN. “I won’t respond to your subsequent inquiry about who doesn’t play if he does. However, we will require him, and since I have experience with this kind of thing, part of my responsibility will be to ensure that everyone is prepared and engaged.”
Before Sunday’s game, Windhorst reports that Kerr had a meeting with the 2024 NBA champion to discuss the choice.
The majority of the American team’s work was done by Olympic veterans Kevin Durant and LeBron James against Nikola Jokic’s team.
After overcoming a calf injury, KD came off the bench to score a game-high 23 points in 17 minutes, going 8 for 9 from the field, including 5 for 5 on three-pointers. James scored 21 points on 9 of 13 shots, and every player that played in the victory on Sunday spent at least 11 minutes on the court.
Among them were Derrick White (two points in sixteen minutes) and Jrue Holiday (15 points in 24 minutes), Tatum’s colleagues on the Celtics.
Windhorst’s report states that Tatum participated in four exhibition games for Team USA, logging between 14 and 21 minutes per game, although all of those were played with Durant sidelined.
“Against South Sudan, a team that is loaded with athleticism and spreads the floor with 3-point shooters, Tatum and his ability to switch on wings makes much more sense,” Windhorst stated.
