Five final thoughts on Team USA’s captivating gold medal run

Well, it may not have unfolded exactly like we thought it would from a Celtics perspective, but in the end, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White reached the mountaintop once again.

They became the first trio to ever win both an NBA championship and gold medal in the same calendar year.

Before we dive into to minutiae of the run itself, let’s all take a moment to appreciate that milestone. While both the Celtics and Team USA were favorites heading into their respective tournaments, neither triumph was guaranteed. All three contributed to each run and deserve to be celebrated.

Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

1) Jayson Tatum’s lack of playing time was perplexing.

What a weird development, huh? It wasn’t just from our Celtics-centric bubble, either. Tatum’s absence quickly became one of the biggest stories of the Olympics in any sport.

Why wasn’t he playing? Did he upset Steve Kerr? Was it really just a rotation thing? Would he be ready if he got the chance? Did anyone consult with Deuce?

Let’s be honest. It became a bit annoying, but at the same time, it was refreshing to see people across the globe have Tatum’s back.

I personally think Tatum deserved to play in every game. If you have to fit 11 or 12 guys into the rotation, so what? Make it happen. A lot of people were clamoring for Tatum to start or close. He’s a heck of a player, but the reality is that he didn’t earn that honor.

Devin Booker outplayed Tatum and deserved to log those minutes. Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis all deserved to be on the floor as well. So, he was naturally the odd man out. But to not play at all in some games? That was just plain weird. There’s no way to justify it, in my opinion.

Tatum didn’t play his best, but it’s hard to play your best when you don’t feel like a valued member of the team. If you’re going into work every day, going through the motions and watching as others produce, your productivity is naturally going to dwindle. That’s just human nature, and this was a reminder that even NBA superstars are human.

What’s most important is that Tatum uses this as fuel and doesn’t let it define him. I have a hunch he’ll be ready when the NBA season rolls around. The Celtics are likely too balanced for him to win MVP, but I suspect he’ll have a near-MVP-caliber season.

2) Jrue Holiday is a Hall of Famer.

Let these two stats sink in for a moment:

Holiday joins Scottie Pippen as the only players to win an Olympic gold medal and an NBA title in the same summer – twice.

The only players in NBA history who match or exceed all of Holiday’s career totals for regular and postseason points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks are Kobe Bryant, Clyde Drexler, James Harden, LeBron James and Pippen.

I think both speak volumes to who he is as both a player and a person. It’s not a coincidence that when Holiday arrives on a team, the culture becomes even stronger. We saw it first-hand.

It’s also not a coincidence that good things consistently happen when he’s on the floor. Anyone can be great in spurts. Holiday is always great, and he saves his best when the team needs it most.

Enjoy having this guy on your team. Don’t take it for granted. You’re watching a likely Hall of Famer bring out the best in those around him on a nightly basis.

3) Derrick White’s contributions shouldn’t be taken for granted.

White, like Tatum, played in stretches and sat in others. We’ve all given Tatum credit for handling that gracefully, so let’s make sure to do the same for White.

No, he’s not a superstar (though he is a superstar in his role), but it’s still not easy to sit on the bench in a gold medal game. While Jaylen Brown is a more talented player, I do agree that White was a better fit for this team.

With Durant, James, Curry, Booker and Anthony Edwards, Team USA didn’t really need more scoring. It needed a glue guy who could do the dirty work off the bench and set his teammates up. White, as he always does, excelled in his role.

4) Watch out for France in 2028.

Tatum said all the right things when asked about his future with the Olympic team. I buy that he genuinely has no idea if he’ll play in 2028. A lot can happen in a span of four years.

But it will be interesting to see how it unfolds. Can a hypothetical team of Booker, Edwards, Tatum, Bam Adebayo, Jalen Brunson, Cooper Flagg and AJ Dybantsa beat France in 2028? By that point, Guerschon Yabusele (how about that dunk?) will be an NBA All-Star and Victor Wembanyama will be 8 feet tall.

I’d probably take the U.S. in a nail-biter, but I think France has a legitimate shot to end up on top in 2028.

5) This really was a heck of a tournament.

I’ll watch any basketball game and find a way to be entertained, but this truly was particularly gripping basketball. Watching Curry, James and Durant on the same floor was wonderful, and seeing Curry go nutty with everything on the line was exhilarating. That final shot was up there with the best I’ve ever seen at any level.

I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. The world is catching up, so don’t expect the drama and intrigue to dissipate anytime soon.

For now, get some rest and recover. The NBA season will be here before we know it. I hope you’re as excited as I am. Basketball never stops.