Jeff Teague opened up on the worst coach he ever had throughout his NBA profession, revealing it was the primary coach he had within the league.
Jeff Teague had an admirable NBA profession. He performed for 12 years, grew to become an All-Star, and received a championship earlier than retiring. Nevertheless, he needed to work laborious for his alternatives given he entered an NBA the place rookies weren’t given a lot of an opportunity to shine on the court docket.
Teague was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 2009 with the nineteenth general choose. Regardless of being a first-round choose, Teague performed 71 video games that season with about 10.1 minutes per recreation. He averaged 3.2 factors as a rookie.
The difficulty that the guard bumped into as a rookie was teaching. The Hawks had been coached by Mike Woodson from 2004 to 1010. Teague joined the squad throughout his remaining season.
Whereas Woodson is a revered coach in basketball circles, Jeff Teague made it abundantly clear that he hated taking part in for him on the Hawks.
Jeff Teague appeared on the ‘Straight Sport’ Podcast with former NBA level guard Mike Bibby. The purpose guard revealed Woodson was the worst coach he had in his profession.
The NBA was a impolite awakening for Jeff, who was instructed by Woodson earlier than coaching camp that he wouldn’t play as a rookie it doesn’t matter what he did in follow.
“My worst coach was Woody (Mike Woodson). Earlier than I even obtained an opportunity, earlier than coaching camp began, he instructed me, ‘It don’t matter what you do, you’re not gonna play son. Not this yr. You’re gonna have to take a seat out.’ I’m like, ‘H** nah.’ I’m pondering I’ll change his thoughts, and that s** didn’t work.”
“Bib (Mike Bibby) used to say, ‘Give the younger fella an opportunity.’ He’d sub out and used to chop his nails on the bench and be like, ‘Give the rook an opportunity!’ And Wooden can be mad like, ‘Come on, man.’ I’d run in there and play two minutes, he’d take me out.”
The truth that Woodson is now teaching within the NCAA stunned Jeff Teague. Sadly, it appears his time within the NCAA is coming to an finish based mostly on what Jeff hears from folks across the program at Indiana College. Woodson has been employed since 2021 and has a 6-8 document this season.
Jeff Teague didn’t seem on this podcast to completely trash Mike Woodson’s teaching. He gave flowers to present New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau as the most effective coach he’s ever had.
He even expressed remorse over not becoming a member of Thibodeau on the New York Knicks in 2021.
“My favourite coach was Thibs (Tom Thibodeau). He’s tremendous cool. If he ___ with you, you bought a job ceaselessly. The place I tousled was that I performed for him in Minnesota.
“After I grew to become a free agent, he known as me. I went to Boston as a substitute of New York. However he known as me and stated, ‘I’ll provide you with no matter Boston is providing.’ I instructed him they had been giving me the minimal and he was like, ‘___ that, I’ll provide you with $5.5 million.”
“I made a foul resolution by going to Boston. I ought to’ve went to New York with Thibs. He instructed me he’d be certain he’d hold signing me.”
Some regrets are laborious to recover from. Jeff Teague was barely within the NBA by that time anyway. Nevertheless, if he joined up with the Knicks, he probably may’ve had one other contract or two. He doubtless doesn’t remorse the choice, however he does admit becoming a member of the Boston Celtics was a mistake.
