Tatum, Team USA to play five exhibitions in July before heading to Tokyo Olympics

Tatum and Team USA will tune up against the Nigerian National Team July 10 – 18 in Las Vegas.

Boston Celtics All-Star wing Jayson Tatum and the rest of Team USA are gearing up to play in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics being played in Japan a year later than anticipated because of the pandemic and will play a series of five exhibition games before they depart to compete for a gold medal.

Tatum will join a star-studded roster including Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker among others, and be coached by San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. Team USA will also be joined by new Celtics head coach and Popovich disciple Ime Udoka, who will join the staff as an assistant.

That the Celtic star and his new coach will be facing Nigeria in the exhibition tilts — Udoka’s FIBA squad in his playing days — will make for an especially interesting wrinkle.