Paul Pierce Calls Out Steve Kerr: “Jason Tatum Is the Beast of Modern Basketball!”

NBA legend Paul Pierce has never been one to hold back his opinions, and this time, he’s taking direct aim at Team USA’s Olympic coach, Steve Kerr. The former Boston Celtics star called out Kerr for keeping Jason Tatum on the bench, saying it’s “the worst decision in basketball history.”

“Tatum Should Be Leading Team USA!”

Speaking in a recent interview, Pierce expressed outrage over how Tatum’s talent is being wasted.

“I’m here to remind America who the real beast of modern basketball is—Jason Tatum. And what does Steve Kerr do? Keep him on the damn bench. That’s a disgrace, man. A guy with his power, skill, and experience? You don’t sideline that.”

Tatum, a five-time NBA All-Star and an NBA champion, has been one of the most dominant players in the league. Pierce believes that not making Tatum the centerpiece of Team USA is an insult to both Tatum’s game and the country’s basketball reputation.

“You got a guy who can give you 30 points in his sleep, a two-way player, and he’s riding the pine? Man, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen in Olympic basketball.”

“This Is Worse Than Any Coaching Mistake I’ve Ever Seen”

Pierce didn’t stop there. He went on to say that Kerr’s decision is worse than any coaching blunder in basketball history.

“Look, I’ve seen bad coaching decisions, but this? This is next level. You have a 6’8″ forward who can shoot, defend, pass, and take over games, and you’re treating him like a role player? That’s disrespectful. Tatum should be the face of this team, not coming off the bench like some rookie.”

Pierce Warns: “America Will Regret This”

Pierce also warned that Team USA will regret this decision when they need a clutch scorer.

“Y’all remember what happened in 2004? We thought talent alone could win us gold, and we got embarrassed. You don’t put your best weapon on the bench when the world is catching up. And trust me, the world has caught up.”

The Hall of Famer ended his rant by calling for Tatum to be given the superstar treatment he deserves.

“You got guys like Luka, Giannis, and Jokic leading their teams. But America has a player just as good, and they ain’t even using him right. That’s a damn shame.”