Colangelo: Tatum 'very important' to USA Olympic basketball team originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
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Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum was officially named to USA Basketball's men's roster for the upcoming 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, and it turns out his commitment to the process began earlier than most players.
USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo met with reporters Monday after the 12-player roster was announced. Among the topics discussed was Tatum's value to Team USA and his commitment to the squad.
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Here is the full men's Olympic basketball roster for Team USA:
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics
- Bam Adebayo, Heat
- Bradley Beal, Wizards
- Devin Booker, Suns
- Kevin Durant, Nets
- Jerami Grant, Pistons
- Draymond Green, Warriors
- Jrue Holiday, Bucks
- Zach LaVine, Bulls
- Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
- Kevin Love, Cavaliers
- Khris Middleton, Bucks
Tatum will be making his first appearance at the Olympics, and it has the potential to be a very valuable experience for him. He's played in some high-pressure games throughout his career, including three Eastern Conference Finals series, but winning an Olympic gold medal would be his most impressive accomplishment yet.
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We've seen many star players like Tatum shine at the Olympics, win a gold medal and then use that experience/success as a springboard to take their game to another level the following NBA season.
Tatum having that kind of experience in Tokyo would be very beneficial to the Celtics as they try to rejoin the upper tier of contending teams during the 2021-22 campaign.
