Celtics’ Al Horford reveals frustration at Team USA’s treatment of his All-Star teammates.

Al Horford has been a senior figure within the Boston Celtics locker room for years, with his leadership role spanning both of his tenures with the franchise. As such, he’s seen the growth of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown first hand, with those developments culminating in a championship at the end of last season.

However, despite Boston’s postseason success, both Tatum and Brown found themselves embroiled in some Team USA controversy this summer. Steve Kerr benched Tatum for both of the United States games against Serbia, while Brown was omitted from the roster entirely, with the USA coaching staff opting to bring in Derrick White and Kawhi Leonard’s replacement.

During a recent interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Horford admitted that he didn’t like to see either of Boston’s star forwards having to navigate the discourse that Team USA had generated.

Horford, 38, is entering the final year of his current contract. His long-term future in the NBA remains an unknown. Nevertheless, he will undoubtedly continue in his leadership role for however long he chooses to remain in the NBA. His presence in the rotation ensures Mazzulla’s rotation can have elite floor spacers on the court at all times, regardless of their individual ages.

If Horford can use his frustrations to help motivate Tatum, Brown and the rest of the Celtics locker room, Mazzulla’s team could come out of the gates strong as they look to prove their credentials, both as a collective unit but also as elite individuals who can all change the course of a game in an instant.

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Horford’s frustration at Team USA’s treatment of Tatum and Brown.