“Something I’ve always wanted to do growing up.”
Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday will reportedly play for Team USA once again this summer. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
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Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday will play for Team USA in the upcoming Paris Olympics. Both players received their Olympic jerseys after Hall-of-Famer Grant Hill came to Boston to deliver them.
“I didn’t see that coming,” Holiday said of Hill’s surprise visit to his house. “I thought my wife was better than that, she usually warns me or something but she didn’t warn me. But, it was cool. Obviously he came to give me the jersey and ask me to be on the national team and congratulate me so I’m really excited.”
Tatum said he was sitting on the couch watching TV when Hill arrived at his house and rang the doorbell.
“It’s an honor,” Tatum said. “Something I’ve always wanted to do growing up. I’m excited about my second opportunity to play in the Olympics this summer.”
Tatum will wear No. 10, which is the same number his favorite player Kobe Bryant wore with Team USA.
“It’s extremely special,” Tatum said. “I played on three USA teams when I was in high school. I got to wear No. 10 all three of those years, knowing that my favorite player wore No. 10 for the national team. I played on the FIBA World Cup team in ’19 and had No. 10, and in 2021 I had No. 10 on that team. It’s something I don’t take for granted or lightly. I know what comes with wearing that number.”
The Celtics have watched film of the franchise’s most recent championship run in 2008 in preparation for their upcoming playoff series.
Tatum talked about the emotions watching Bryant play against the team he’s currently with.
“I was super excited,” Tatum said. “I was upset when they lost in ’08 then he got to come back and win in 2009 and 2010. Especially, getting his revenge back in 2010. I was a happy kid watching that.”
Tatum said the fact that he plays for the Celtics hasn’t changed his feelings about the Celtics-Lakers battles of that era.
“I can separate the two,” Tatum said. “I was a kid when that happened. I wasn’t in the NBA in that time and that was my favorite player. So, it was only right. They beat them in ’08 and he got one in 2010, so they both got a ring.”
The Celtics will kick off the playoffs Sunday at TD Garden against an opponent to be determined.
“The playoffs present a lot of different challenges from game to game,” Tatum said. “You’ve got to be ready to respond and react. You never know exactly what’s coming.”