US will 'come together as a unit' in Paris - Tatum

Team USA guardant Jayson Tatum is looking to headdress disconnected an unthinkable play by picking up his 2nd Olympic golden badge successful nan men's hoops astatine Paris 2024.

After starring nan Boston Celtics to nan 2024 NBA title pinch a 4-1 triumph complete nan Dallas Mavericks successful nan finals, Tatum now finds himself connected nan screen of nan 2K25 video crippled and has signed a caller woody successful Boston which is reported to beryllium 1 of nan largest contracts ever offered to an NBA player., external

"I conscionable cognize really overmuch joyousness it tin bring, and we arsenic a squad cognize really overmuch joyousness it tin bring to truthful galore group backmost home," Tatum told BBC Sport.

"I retrieve increasing up arsenic a kid, I loved thing much than to spot each nan champion players connected Team USA having nosy retired there."

The USA are targeting a 5th consecutive men's hoops golden badge pinch a 12-man squad filled pinch immoderate of nan NBA's biggest names, for illustration LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

But they besides person a blend of caller talent coming through, specified arsenic 24-year-old Indiana Pacers defender Tyrese Haliburton and nan Minnesota Timberwolves' 22-year-old prima Anthony Edwards.

"Tyrese Haliburton was successful precocious schoolhouse erstwhile I was successful nan NBA, truthful that's benignant of weird," smiled Tatum.

"We've sewage a awesome group of guys, each astatine different stages successful their careers and awesome personalities."

He's besides hopeful nan squad tin supply immoderate escapism for fans backmost location who are successful nan midst of a tense and drawn-out statesmanlike predetermination campaign.

"The Olympics and particularly america pinch Team USA basketball, person specified a large opportunity to show that we tin each travel together arsenic a unit," Tatum said.

The five-time NBA All-Star led nan Celtics to a league-best 64 wins past season, averaging 26.9 points himself.

Despite standout performances passim his profession successful Boston, anterior to this season, they had been without a title since 2008.

Tatum came adjacent to lifting nan trophy successful 2022 but mislaid successful nan NBA Finals against nan Golden State Warriors.

The Celtics past went connected to suffer successful nan 2023 eastbound convention finals to nan Miami heat.

These losses led to a batch of scrutiny astir Tatum's expertise to present a championship, not only connected societal platforms but besides successful nan media., external

Reflecting connected this scrutiny, Tatum told BBC Sport: "It was a process and you conscionable person to spell done it to study really to woody pinch it. The older you get, nan much clip you walk successful nan convention - nan little you commencement to care.

"You person to person an outlet, right? Whatever that whitethorn look like, you request thing to get distant from it all,

"Don't get maine wrong, hoops is highly important, but it is not everything, and you can't fto that beryllium nan sole intent of your happiness - it will thrust you crazy.

"Whatever you do, it will ne'er beryllium bully enough, truthful you can't support trying to get justification from different people."

For Tatum his attraction extracurricular of hoops is centred astir his six-year-old son, Jayson 'Deuce' Tatum Jr, who is simply a changeless beingness astatine Boston's stadium nan TD Garden.

"He's coming retired to Paris pinch my mum, and hopefully, he'll get to spot america triumph different golden medal," said Tatum.

"Deuce has been pinch maine each measurement of nan way, he's watched each accomplishment and each nan things we've managed to achieve.

"I emotion my son. I emotion having him astir and sharing these moments and experiences together - it's thing we'll ever remember."