Celts star Jayson Tatum has often been the odd man out in U.S. team lineups, but he won’t let this year’s Olympic experience affect his availability for future international basketball, writes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Tatum came off the bench in two of the U.S.’s six games, including the semifinal against Serbia. He played 11 minutes in Saturday’s gold medal contest, finishing with two points and three rebounds.

“It was a tough personal experience on the pitch, but I will not make a decision based on emotions,” Said Tatum. “If you asked me now if I would play in 2028 – that’s four years from now and I would have to take time and think about it. So I’m not going to make a decision based on this experience or my personal feelings.”

Tatum’s surprisingly limited playing time has been one of the few controversies surrounding this version of Team USA. He is one of the best players in the world, was named to the All-NBA first team last season, won his first championship and appeared in his fifth consecutive All-Star game. Coach Steve Kerr stated several times that Tatum’s playing time was the result of matchups and the fact that there were so many talented players on the roster. Tatum said at Saturday’s postgame press conference that he had received a lot of feedback from his fans.

“A lot of people have written to me and said, ‘Make sure this gives you strength,’ which I really appreciate. There are a lot of people who care about me.” he said. “I think the hard thing is you can use things to push yourself, but I’m still human. … Part of living right now is that I’ve sacrificed a lot and invested a lot in this game and I’m working really, really hard. So right now it’s tough. You’re not necessarily worried about giving me energy for November or (whenever) the season, but like I said, it’s something I’m going to take from this and learn from this experience. It’s definitely challenging and humbling at the same time.”

More about the Celtics can be found here:

• Former Celtic Guerschon Yabusele used the Olympics to show he’s one of the best players outside the NBA, notes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. He averaged 14 points per game and was selected to the second team while helping France to the silver medal. Washburn notes that Yabusele was an undersized power forward without strong shooting instincts when he played for Boston from 2017-19, but he refined his game and got into excellent shape during his three seasons with Real Madrid.
• It is possible that LeBron James could become a part owner of the Celtics at some point, according to Josh Kosman of the New York Post. Boston’s long-time rival is a business partner of Fenway Sports Group and RedBird Capital, which are considering making a bid for the Wyc Grousbeck. James couldn’t be part of an ownership group while he was an active player, but there’s a chance he could be retired by the time the sale is completed in 2028.
• The Celtics are valued at $5.12 billion, according to Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico, who report that the franchise has hired JPMorgan Chase and BDT & MSD to oversee the sale.