Jeff Teague (basketball)

Jeffrey Demarco Teague (born June 10, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Teague played college basketball for Wake Forest University before being selected 19th overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. He was named an NBA All-Star in 2015.

High school career

Teague attended Pike High School in Indianapolis, Indiana where as a senior in 2006–07, he averaged 22 points and four assists per game.

Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Teague was listed as the No. 9 point guard and the No. 57 player in the nation in 2007.

College career

Teague played college basketball for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. As a freshman in 2007–08, Teague was second on the team in scoring, scoring 13.9 points per game, just behind fellow freshman James Johnson's 14.6.

As a sophomore in 2008–09, Teague became the first Wake Forest All-American since Chris Paul in 2004–05, and the 13th in school history. He was selected as a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, the John Wooden Award and the Oscar Robertson Trophy. He led Wake in scoring with 18.8 points per game, in passing with 3.5 assists per game, in steals with 1.9 per game, and in three-point percentage at 48.5%. He scored his 1,000th point with the Demon Deacons and became the 45th player in the history of the school to join the club. He scored a career-high 34 points on January 11, 2009 in a 92–89 victory over North Carolina.

On April 8, 2009, Teague declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final two years of college eligibility.

NBA career

Atlanta Hawks (2009–2016)

2009–10 season

Teague was selected with the 19th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2009 NBA draft. On July 20, 2009, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Hawks. As a rookie in 2009–10, he averaged 3.2 points, 1.7 assists and 0.9 rebounds in 10.1 minutes (.396 FG%, .837 FT%), playing in 71 games (three starts) and ranking 10th among rookies in assists. He finished the regular season in style, setting then career-highs in several categories with a 24-point, 15-assist, five-rebound effort against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 14, hitting 11-of-19 from the field and playing all 48 minutes. He went on to play sparingly in the team's playoff run, a run that saw the Hawks lose to the Orlando Magic in the Conference semi-finals.

2010–11 season

In 2010–11, the crafty second-year guard averaged 5.2 points, 2.0 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 13.8 minutes (.438 FG%, .375 3FG%, .794 FT%). He scored in double-figures 12 times, including three 20-point efforts. He led the team in assists four times and scoring on three occasions. On March 12, 2011, he tied his career-high of 24 points in a 91–82 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. During the Hawks' 2011 first round playoff match-up with the Orlando Magic, Teague played under 10 minutes in just two games, as the Hawks won 4–2. He was moved into the starting spot for the team's second round match-up with the Chicago Bulls following an injury to starter Kirk Hinrich. Teague started all six games against the Bulls, a series the Hawks lost 4–2. Teague averaged 14.8 points and 4.2 assists in 38.1 minutes in his six playoff starts, well above his regular season averages.

2011–12 season

Teague was one of the league's most improved players in 2011–12, starting all 66 games, averaging 12.6 points, 4.9 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 33.1 minutes (.476 FG%, .342 3FG%, .757 FT%). He ranked eighth in the NBA in steals (106), 10th in steals per game, 20th in steal-to-turnover ratio (0.79), 22nd in assists (321), 23rd in assists per game, and 40th in FG%. He had 10 20-point efforts and three double-doubles during the regular season, in addition to four double-digit scoring games during the Hawks' 4–2 first round playoff loss to the Boston Celtics.

2012–13 season

In 2012–13, Teague recorded career-highs of 14.6 points and 7.2 assists, along with 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 32.9 minutes (.451 FG%, .359 3FG%, .881 FT%), appearing in a team-high 80 games (78 starts). He recorded ten 20-point/10-assist games in 2012–13, the third highest total in a single season in franchise history (Pete Maravich – 12 in 1972–73, and Eddie Johnson – 11 in 1984–85). On January 16, 2013, he scored a career-high 28 points in a 109–95 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Teague later participated in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend. The Hawks were once again knocked out in the first round of the playoffs, losing 4–2 to the Indiana Pacers.

2013–14 season

On July 10, 2013, Teague was extended a four-year, $32 million offer sheet by the Milwaukee Bucks; however, three days later, the Hawks matched the offer. On December 26, 2013, he scored a career-high 34 points in a 127–125 double overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. On March 18, 2014, he tied that mark with 34 points in a 118–113 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors. On April 14, he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, April 7, through Sunday, April 13. He earned his first Player of the Week honor after averaging 20.3 points, 5.8 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 33.8 minutes per game (.509 FG%, .917 FT%) in four games, in a week that the Hawks went 3–1.

The Hawks finished the 2013–14 season as the eighth seed in the East, eventually losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Indiana Pacers in seven games. Teague scored in double-figures in all seven games, including three 20-point nights, and had one double-double. He scored a playoff career-high 29 points on May 1, and notched his first career postseason double-double with 22 points and playoff career-high 10 assists on April 24.

2014–15 season

On January 29, 2015, Teague earned his first All-Star selection as a reserve for the Eastern Conference in the 2015 NBA All-Star Game. Teague went on to lead the Hawks to a first place finish in the East. In the first round against the eighth-seeded Brooklyn Nets, Teague averaged 14.2 points and 7.8 assists per game. In Game 6, Teague tallied 13 assists without a single point, helping the Hawks close out the series with a dominating 114–87 win. In the Conference semi-finals against the Washington Wizards, Teague averaged 16.3 points and 7.0 assists per game. In Game 4, Teague recorded 26 points and 8 assists, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter and hitting a clutch three-pointer in the final minutes, sealing a 106–101 win over the Wizards and tying the series at 2–2. In Game 6, he recorded 20 points and 7 assists, while assisting DeMarre Carroll on two consecutive possessions in the final minute, giving the Hawks a four-point lead. They went on to win 94–91 after a potential tying three-pointer by Paul Pierce was waved off, clinching the series 4–2. They eventually lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

2015–16 season

Early on in 2015–16, Teague began to compete for minutes with back-up point guard Dennis Schröder as his role started to diminish largely due to Schröder's improved play and Teague's drop off in production. Mid-way through the season, Teague began drawing interest from opposing teams, with the Hawks reportedly talking with other teams about potential trades involving Teague. On February 1, 2016, Teague scored a season-high 32 points and hit a career-high five three-pointers in a 112–97 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Teague helped the Hawks reach the Eastern Conference semi-finals, where they were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Indiana Pacers (2016–present)

On July 7, 2016, Teague was traded to the Indiana Pacers in a three-team deal involving the Hawks and the Utah Jazz. He made his debut for the Pacers in their season opener on October 26, 2016, recording 20 points and eight assists in a 130–121 overtime win over the Dallas Mavericks. On November 9, he scored a season-high 30 points in a 122–115 overtime win over the Philadelphia 76ers. He tied that mark on November 20, recording 30 points, nine assists and six steals in a 115–111 overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. On December 30, he recorded a career-high 17 assists in a 111–101 win over the Chicago Bulls.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Personal life

Teague is the son of Shawn and Carol Teague. His father played college basketball at Missouri and Boston University, playing under Rick Pitino at Boston.

Teague has four siblings, two brothers and two sisters. His younger brother, Marquis, played point guard for the Kentucky Wildcats before being drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 2012.