As the Paris Olympics draws to a close, the United States men’s basketball team is dominating. Following a 122-87 win over Brazil in the quarterfinals, the U.S. is now 4-0 at the Olympics and has an average point average of 24.75 per game. This is exactly the performance the team was hoping for in Paris and exactly what we wanted to see.
Evan Turner Point Forward Podcast Payton Pritchard was in attendance. Celtics To discuss whether the U.S. can bring home a gold medal, Pritchard is in a unique position to discuss the team’s chances with three of his Boston teammates and current USA National Team members: Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White.
Like most basketball fans, Pritchard was surprised that Tatum didn’t play in the U.S. season opener against Serbia in what was expected to be a pivotal matchup with Nikola Jokic.
“We all know how talented he is,” Pritchard says. “I’ve been in similar situations, and I’m not at his level, but it’s humbling.” He feels that all athletes, regardless of talent level, should be able to play, contribute and make a difference. Pritchard thinks that confidence and drive will make them better players, and ultimately, it’ll be a good experience for the Celtics megastar. “I’m excited to see what he does with it. It just adds fuel to the fire.”
Pritchard believes that falling down the pecking order on the U.S. team will make Tatum even more motivated to return to the NBA next year, prove his dominance even more and win another title with Boston. “Everybody’s doubting him, so he’s got to prove it again,” he said. “I’m looking forward to JT proving them wrong.”
Not only did Pritchard play alongside three current members of the U.S. national team, he also gained hands-on experience with the team. After being named to the select squad, he trained with the team that traveled to Paris and got a feel for their potential. What was appealing to Pritchard wasn’t just the chance to play against some of the modern greats, but the opportunity to observe their preparation.
“What time are they up? Breaking down all that stuff. That’s what I’m most looking forward to, to find out some things in terms of what they’ve done for their bodies. When are they lifting weights? All that stuff.”
Turner asked a hypothetical question that didn’t require a second’s thought: If the 2023-24 Boston Celtics went to the Olympics and competed against the world, could they bring home a gold medal?
“I would bet on that. I’m not saying it’s a sure thing though. […] “We’re going to win an NBA championship. If we can just go through the season like that and learn to play together, we’ll be fine.”
Team USA’s next test will be a semifinal rematch against Serbia, another chance to prove who rules the world in men’s basketball.
