Peachtree Hoops: Jeff Teague, the unlikely viral podcast star

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Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images

Jeff Teague began his career with the Atlanta Hawks after being drafted 19th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, but playing time was often hard to find early in his career. Stuck behind the guard trio of Mike Bibby, Kirk Hinrich, and Jamal Crawford in his first two seasons in the league, Teague bided his time as a bench player until a breakout run in the 2011 Playoffs.

Eventually he blossomed into an All-Star and key contributor on a number of playoff teams in Atlanta, most memorable of which was the 2014-15 team that won 60 regular season games and reached the Eastern Conference Finals for a franchise first since moving to Atlanta in 1968. That team featured a number of quiet leaders in Teague, Al Horford, Paul Millsap and current assistant general manager Kyle Korver.

But now, with his last NBA action as a part of the champion Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, Teague has replaced his jersey and sneakers for casual attire to tell hilarious stories into a microphone during podcast appearances. Those who covered Teague during his playing career knew him as a funny personality during media duties — even if his quotes never made headlines at the time.

Now, with the freedom to reflect on his career and retell past events to a wider audience, more are just now experiencing the talent he has for getting laughs instead of buckets. A number of these stories stem from his days with Atlanta, like the time he missed the team bus after a Pistons game while holding a box of Little Caesars pizza — notably memorialized in a cult favorite picture of the incident.

Via r/NBA

Via the Club 520 Podcast, Teague recounts the events of that March 2016 evening, including the reaction of then head coach Mike Budenholzer. Of course, fair warning that all podcast clips are unfiltered and contain adult language, so remember put the young kids to bed before listening and/or watching.

There was also a matter of an infamous Minnesota Timberwolves practice that ultimately destabilized the team and resulted in the departure of Jimmy Butler later that season.

After a 12-year NBA career, Teague may have found a new calling off the court in the days to come.

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