Jayson Tatum Explains Why Kevin Durant Got Mad At Him During A Team USA Practice

3 Min Read

Credit: NBC Sports

In a recent appearance on ‘The Draymond Green Show,’ Celtics star Jayson Tatum told of an encounter with Kevin Durant during a Team USA practice last summer.

According to the young star, Durant yelled at him after he passed him the ball on an offensive possession.

“I remember being out therein Vegas, the first day we scrimmaged. And I remember we played the select team, kicked our a** the first day, we was out of shape. But I remember coming down on the wing, somebody kicked me the ball, and on the Celtics I would have shot it. And it was like halfway I coulda shot it. I just remember that KD was to the right of me [so] I passed it to him,” Tatum shared. “I remembered he got mad at me. He was like ‘Yo, don’t look at me. Be yourself, I need you to kill. And I was like ‘damn.’ That was the first time I was like ‘he want me to hoop too.’ Don’t look at it like that’s KD, we on the same team — like, he need me to do me on this team.”

Durant has been one of the most vocal fans of Tatum. During the Olympics, he predicted Tatum would be the next one to break the scoring record. Before that, he credited Tatum as one of the hardest players he’s ever had to guard.

“I’ve been in the league for 13, 14 years and I started to like tally mark the matchups, the series, the players that I’ve played against,” Durant said, via Mass Live. “… I’ve had series against Kobe, LeBron, Tim Duncan, the Memphis Grizzlies—Jayson Tatum is in that conversation. He’s that elite level player already at 23 and I’m like, alright, I can see where this is going. It was an honor to play against him.”

To lump Tatum in with guys like Duncan, LeBron, and Kobe really says a lot about the impression he has made on his peers. As one of the best scorers in the league, it’s easy how one might see greatness in him.

But for Tatum to really shine, he’s going to have to start winning in the playoffs. This season, with Boston’s miraculous turnaround, perhaps it’s a perfect time.

All we can do is wait and see.

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Share This Article
Follow:
Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *