Ex-Celtics Guard Blames Two Current Players For NBA Retirement

Jeff Teague quietly fizzled out of the NBA following his short-lived run in a Boston Celtics uniform in 2021.

In fact, Teague lasted just 21 games plus a victorious NBA Finals run with Milwaukee Bucks after being traded by the Celtics and waived by the Orlando Magic. But after averaging his lowest career average (6.7 points) since his rookie year in 2009, Teague chose to walk away from basketball entirely, sharing why — well, in this case, who — played a factor in that decision.

“(De’Aaron Fox) and Darius Garland he retired me,” Teague admitted during an appearance on the “Club 520 Podcast.” “… Fox made me wanna go to the bench. I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m ready to come off the bench, man.’ He was running so fast one game. … My knees still suffering from them changing directions.”

Teague added: “I remember I dunked on (Fox). … And I said, ‘Damn.’ But after that, he tried to kill me.”

The now-35-year-old, who lasted 14 seasons in the NBA, is no expectation to struggle to keep up with Fox’s speed or Garland’s lights-out shooting. Both All-Star guards averaged 20-plus points last season for the Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers, respectively.

Despite an overall solid career, Teague never meshed with the Celtics after Boston brought him aboard as a depth enhancement to play off the bench.

Teague averaged just 6.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists while playing 18.9 minutes in 34 games with the C’s. After scoring 19 points on Opening Night that season, Teague didn’t match or exceed that total in 31 straight games, shooting 36.4% from the floor and averaging 1.1 turnovers in the stretch.

Nevertheless, winning a championship during his final NBA game should leave Teague plenty satisfied as he enjoys retirement.