In a recent episode of his eponymous podcast, the Warriors star, Draymond Green, did not mince words when expressing his disapproval of the coaching decisions made by Team USA’s head coach, Steve Kerr. Green criticized Kerr for not playing Jayson Tatum in a game, stating, “Not playing [Tatum] was wrong. We all know it was wrong. He should’ve played.” Green went on to suggest that Kerr’s decisions were a result of trying to cover up past mistakes, saying, “From the outside looking in, it comes off as, ‘We made a mistake as a coaching staff.'”
Kerr defended his choice to sit Tatum, explaining that he wanted to prioritize certain combinations on the court and give extra minutes to Kevin Durant, who was just returning from injury. However, Green was not convinced by Kerr’s explanation and expressed his dissatisfaction with the constant lineup changes happening within the team.
Team USA faced criticism for leaving Joel Embiid out of the lineup in their game against South Sudan and for Jrue Holiday sitting out due to an ankle injury in another match. Green urged Kerr and the coaching staff to establish a consistent rotation and stick to it, emphasizing, “These teams aren’t good enough to where we’re trying to match their lineup. They gotta match our lineup… We got the best players in the world. We’ll be fine.”
Despite the controversies surrounding the coaching decisions, Team USA managed to secure three wins in group play. They are set to compete against Brazil in the upcoming quarterfinals. The pressure is on Kerr and the coaching staff to make strategic decisions that will lead the team to success in the remainder of the Olympic tournament.
