Jeff Teague facts for kids
Teague with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2019
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| [[Pike Red Devils|Pike Red Devils]] | |
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| Head coach | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | June 10, 1988 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| High school | Pike (Indianapolis, Indiana) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Wake Forest (2007–2009) |
| NBA Draft | 2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 19th overall |
| Selected by the Atlanta Hawks | |
| Pro career | 2009–2021 |
| Coaching career | 2023–present |
| League | Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 2009–2016 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2016–2017 | Indiana Pacers |
| 2017–2020 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2020 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2020–2021 | Boston Celtics |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| As coach: | |
| 2023–present | Pike High School |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference statistics | |
| Points | 10,061 (12.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,989 (2.4 rpg) |
| Assists | 4,585 (5.6 apg) |
Jeffrey Demarco Teague (born June 10, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player. He is currently the head coach for Pike High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jeff played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for five different teams from 2009 to 2021. He spent seven of those seasons with the Atlanta Hawks.
After retiring as a player in 2021, Jeff worked as a scout for the Hawks. Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The Hawks picked him 19th overall in the 2009 NBA draft. Jeff was chosen as an NBA All-Star in 2015. He also won an NBA championship in 2021 with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Jeff Teague grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. He went to Pike High School. During his senior year in 2006–07, he was a star player. He scored about 22 points and made four assists per game. Experts considered him a top-level recruit. He was ranked among the best point guards in the country.
College Basketball Career
Jeff played college basketball for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. In his first year (2007–08), he was the team's second-highest scorer. He averaged 13.9 points per game.
In his second year (2008–09), Jeff became a very special player. He was named an All-American, which is a huge honor. He was also a finalist for several major awards for college basketball players. Jeff led Wake Forest in scoring with 18.8 points per game. He also led the team in assists and steals. He scored his 1,000th point for the Demon Deacons during this season. On January 11, 2009, he scored a career-high 34 points against North Carolina. After his second year, Jeff decided to enter the NBA draft. He chose to leave college two years early to pursue his professional dream.
Professional Basketball Career
Atlanta Hawks (2009–2016)
Starting Out (2009–2011)
The Atlanta Hawks picked Jeff Teague as the 19th player in the 2009 NBA draft. He signed his first contract with the Hawks on July 20, 2009. In his first year (2009–10), he played in 71 games. He averaged 3.2 points and 1.7 assists per game. He had a great game on April 14, scoring 24 points and making 15 assists. This was a career high for him at the time. The Hawks made it to the playoffs but lost to the Orlando Magic.
In his second year (2010–11), Jeff improved. He averaged 5.2 points and 2.0 assists. He scored over 10 points many times. On March 12, 2011, he tied his career high with 24 points against the Portland Trail Blazers. In the playoffs, he became a starter after an injury to another player. He played very well in those playoff games, averaging 14.8 points and 4.2 assists.
Becoming a Star (2011–2014)
In the 2011–12 season, Jeff started all 66 games for the Hawks. He averaged 12.6 points, 4.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. He was one of the top players in the NBA for steals. He scored 20 points or more ten times that season.
The 2012–13 season was even better for Jeff. He set new career highs with 14.6 points and 7.2 assists per game. He had ten games where he scored at least 20 points and made 10 assists. On January 16, 2013, he scored 28 points against the Brooklyn Nets. Jeff also took part in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge during the NBA All-Star Weekend. The Hawks made the playoffs again but lost in the first round.
On December 26, 2013, Jeff scored a new career-high of 34 points. This happened in a double overtime win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He tied that record on March 18, 2014, against the Toronto Raptors. He was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week in April 2014. The Hawks made the playoffs as the eighth seed. Jeff played well, scoring over 20 points in three games. He also had his first playoff double-double with 22 points and 10 assists.
All-Star Season and Final Years in Atlanta (2014–2016)
On January 29, 2015, Jeff Teague was chosen as an NBA All-Star for the first time. He was a reserve player for the Eastern Conference team. He helped the Hawks finish first in their conference that season. In the playoffs, he continued to play a key role. He averaged 14.2 points and 7.8 assists in the first round. In one game, he had 13 assists without scoring a single point, showing his great passing skills. The Hawks reached the Eastern Conference Finals but lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In the 2015–16 season, Jeff's playing time started to change. Another talented point guard, Dennis Schröder, was playing well. Jeff still had some big games, like scoring a season-high 32 points against the Dallas Mavericks on February 1, 2016. The Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference semi-finals but were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Indiana Pacers (2016–2017)
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On July 7, 2016, Jeff was traded to his hometown team, the Indiana Pacers. He played his first game for the Pacers on October 26, 2016. He scored 20 points and made eight assists in an overtime win. On November 9, he scored a season-high 30 points. He tied that record on November 20, adding nine assists and six steals. On December 30, he set a career high with 17 assists in a game against the Chicago Bulls. In the 2016–17 season, Jeff started all 82 games for the Pacers.
Minnesota Timberwolves (2017–2020)
On July 10, 2017, Jeff Teague signed a three-year contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. In December 2017, he hurt his left knee and missed some games. He returned to play in January 2018. Jeff started 70 games and helped the Timberwolves have a winning season. This was their first time making the playoffs since 2004.
Jeff missed more games in the 2018–19 season due to injuries to his left knee and ankle. He had surgery on his left ankle in April 2019.
Return to Atlanta (2020)
On January 16, 2020, Jeff Teague was traded back to the Atlanta Hawks. He played 25 games for them during this second time with the team.
Boston Celtics (2020–2021)
On November 30, 2020, Jeff signed with the Boston Celtics. He played 34 games for them. On March 25, 2021, he was traded to the Orlando Magic, but he was waived (released) two days later.
Milwaukee Bucks (2021)
On April 1, 2021, Jeff signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. This reunited him with his former coach from Atlanta, Mike Budenholzer. Jeff played in 21 regular season games for the Bucks. On July 20, 2021, the Bucks won the 2021 NBA Finals by defeating the Phoenix Suns. This gave Jeff Teague his first NBA championship! He played in all six of the NBA Finals games. He was a backup point guard for the team.
Life After Playing
Executive Career
On March 9, 2022, the Atlanta Hawks hired Jeff Teague as a regional scout. A scout's job is to watch basketball players and find new talent for the team. This brought him back to the team that first drafted him in 2009.
Coaching Career
On April 27, 2023, it was announced that Jeff Teague would become the new head coach of Pike High School. This is the same high school he graduated from!
Personal Life
Jeff Teague's parents are Shawn and Carol Teague. His father, Shawn, also played college basketball. Shawn played for Missouri and Boston University. While at Boston University, Shawn played with Drederick Irving, who is the father of NBA star Kyrie Irving.
Jeff has four brothers and sisters. One of his brothers, Marquis, also played point guard in college for the Kentucky Wildcats. Marquis was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 2012. Jeff Teague married Paola Gomez on July 15, 2023.
See also
In Spanish: Jeff Teague para niños
- 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
