Steve Kerr addresses perceived Jayson Tatum snub after Celtics rout

Steve Kerr drew the ire of Celtics fans last summer after controversially benching Jayson Tatum during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The drama surrounding the move has died down in recent months as the NBA season continued, but resurfaced Monday. Cameras caught Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown appearing to give Kerr the cold shoulder after Boston’s blowout win over Golden State.

The Warriors coach did his best to play down any apparent tension between him and Tatum, but in an appearance Tuesday, 95.7 The Game in San Francisco. Despite the perceived rejection on the court, Kerr talked about his relationship with all the Celtics with Team USA ties and how they bonded postgame.

“Great, great conversations and interactions with former USA guys, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown I coached him in 2019 at the World Cup,” Kerr said. “It’s always really fun to see guys you have a relationship with. I got a chance to visit with all those guys including Jayson (Tatum) after the game (Monday) night. It was great to see them and I’m always rooting for the guys I’ve coached.”

Kerr went on to detail his interaction with the Celtics All-Star after Boston handed the Warriors their worst home loss of Kerr’s tenure as coach.

“We texted after the game in Boston a couple of months ago and we talked last night after the game,” Kerr said. “I will tell you that Jayson was an absolute dream to coach. During all that stuff, the so-called controversy, you might notice that there wasn’t a single quote from Jayson. It was everyone else talking about it. Jayson is a great guy and an incredible player and he couldn’t have handled it better when he was there.

“The reality is it’s 2024, these guys are all in the spotlight. There’s so much pressure on them and it was all exaggerated and also just a modern media type. He did it beautifully, we won a gold medal, everyone’s happy. I don’t even think about it anymore to be honest with you.”

Tatum and the Celtics won’t see Kerr or the Warriors again this season after Monday’s win. The team continues their road trip in Los Angeles on Wednesday night against the Clippers.

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