Did Jayson Tatum reportedly scream "Job's not finished" after Team USA win? Debunking viral tweet 

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum found himself in the spotlight again, but not for his on-court heroics. Tatum logged another "Did Not Play" (DNP) in Team USA’s intense victory over Serbia, which secured their spot in the gold medal match.

Following the game, a quote supposedly from Tatum began circulating on social media, claiming he channeled Kobe Bryant by shouting “Job’s not finished” from the bench as Team USA pulled off the win.

The quote, posted by the well-known parody account NBA Centel, sparked amusement online, but it’s completely fabricated. There’s no evidence or footage of Tatum saying it, and the post is clearly a playful jab at his lack of playing time.

Tatum’s surprising absence from the rotation under head coach Steve Kerr has become a hot topic, especially since he and Tyrese Haliburton were benched during the crucial match against Serbia.

For context, the original “Job’s not finished” quote is a famous line from Kobe Bryant, who said it during the 2009 NBA Finals after the LA Lakers took a 2-0 lead over the Orlando Magic.

Kerr’s decision to bench Tatum has sparked significant discussion, even drawing criticism from some high-profile figures. Draymond Green, who plays for Kerr on the Golden State Warriors, voiced his disagreement with Tatum's lack of playing time during the Paris Olympics.

“You don’t not play Jayson Tatum,” Green said on his podcast. “That man just won an NBA championship, is on the cover of NBA 2K, the cover of Sports Illustrated, just signed the biggest contract in NBA history, and then you bench him in the Olympics? That’s wrong, plain and simple.”

Tatum was notably benched not only against Serbia in the semifinals but also during their earlier group-stage match against the same team. Although he started in the final two group stage games, he was once again benched for the quarterfinals.

Kenyon Martin criticizes Steve Kerr's decisions regarding Jayson Tatum

Former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin Sr. also weighed in on Kerr’s decision to limit Jayson Tatum’s playing time, particularly questioning why a three-time All-NBA First Team player would ever be a DNP under Kerr’s coaching.

Speaking on the “Gil’s Arena” show, Martin rhetorically asked Kerr if Tatum would ever get a DNP if he were on Kerr's NBA roster.

“If Jayson Tatum were ever on your roster, would there ever be a situation where he had a DNP? What makes you start now? This man is 1st Team All-NBA three years in a row,” Martin said.

Martin went on to criticize the decision to bench Tatum, suggesting that such a move would be seen as irrational if it were announced in any other context.

“If it was announced that Jayson Tatum might not play, they should have had Kerr admitted to a psych ward,” Martin continued. “You don’t invite a guy like Tatum to the Olympics just to have him sit on the bench.”

Tatum's absence in Team USA’s win against Serbia has led to widespread speculation and critique, with Kerr later admitting he “felt like an idiot” for the decision.

He has said that his lineup choices were based on combinations he believed would be most effective.