Jaylen Brown texted Jayson Tatum 'I'm crazy about you' after Kerr benched the Celtics champion | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

Jaylen Brown reached out to Boston Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum during the 2024 Summer Olympics when Tatum's lack of playing time with Team USA was a subplot.

“I think Jayson handled it very well,” Brown continued The Stephen A. Smith Show. “That just says a lot about JT’s character. But I know for a fact that he was angry. I remember texting him and saying, 'I'm mad at you.'”

Despite being named to the All-NBA first team for the third consecutive year and helping the Celtics win the title, Tatum played the second fewest minutes on Team USA and did not play in two of his six games.

Tatum's frustration was understandable.

The 26-year-old may be at the peak of his NBA career. He averaged 26.9 points and 8.1 rebounds during the 2023-24 season, helping the Celtics finally get over the hump in their quest for their 18th championship.

However, since Team USA head coach Steve Kerr had a wealth of talent, it meant that at least one notable figure had to be moved to the end of the bench.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on his in August Hoop Collective In a podcast, Kerr and the coaching staff said the U.S. should mostly rely on a 10-man rotation. Unfortunately, Tatum was “the 11th man.”

The United States' gold medal win somewhat validates Kerr's approach. Tatum didn't necessarily give his best while playing either. He averaged 5.3 points in 17.7 minutes per game and shot 0 of 4 from beyond the arc throughout the tournament.

“I know I didn’t take a jump shot when I was with Team USA. I don’t know, the law of averages,” he told Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “It’s a weird rhythm thing being on Team USA; you never know exactly when you'll get the ball. But that's part of it. You sign up for it because I’ve done it before (at the Tokyo Games).”

Some players need time on the court to find their groove, and that's not a luxury that's necessarily enjoyed in international basketball. They switch in and out too often to build positive momentum.

Others, like Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker, are ready to deliver immediately. Booker, who Kerr called Team USA's unsung MVP, hit 56.5 percent of his threes and thrived with the ball.

As much as Tatum may feel insulted, the results from the USA in Paris speak for themselves.