Sebastian Telfair (born June 9, 1985) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player. He has played in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

(NBA) and the

Chinese Basketball Association The Chinese Basketball Association (), often abbreviated as the CBA, is the first-tier men's professional basketball league in China. The league is commonly known by fans as the CBA, and this acronym is even used in Chinese on a regular basis ...

. Telfair was picked thirteenth overall in the 2004 NBA draft by the

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...

on the heels of an eminent high school career playing for

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

. He had committed to the

University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public university, public research university in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. Chartered in 1798 as the Jefferson Seminary, it became in the 19t ...

during his senior year, but decided to turn professional instead. Telfair is a cousin of former NBA player Stephon Marbury.

Early years

Telfair was born in

, New York, the son of Erica Telfair and Otis Telfair, a

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

veteran who served as a Marine.Ian O'Connor, ''The Jump: Sebastian Telfair and the High Stakes Business of High School Ball.'' mmaus, Pa. Rodale, 2005. p. 7-16 Living in the Surfside Gardens projects in Brooklyn, he attended Abraham Lincoln High School, where he became one of the most highly lauded and coveted high school basketball prospects in the country.Ian O'Connor, ''The Jump: Sebastian Telfair and the High Stakes Business of High School Ball.'' mmaus, Pa. Rodale, 2005. p. 2-3 Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Telfair was listed as the No. 2 point guard and No. 6 player in the nation in 2004. Originally, he had committed to the

and head coach Rick Pitino. However, he later had a change of mind and went pro instead, a decision precipitated by a fatal shooting that occurred at the apartment complex where his family lived.

Professional career

Portland Trail Blazers (2004–2006)

Telfair was selected by the

with the thirteenth overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft. On January 1, 2005, Telfair scored 14 points on five-for-eleven shooting, making four of five

free throw In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points by shooting from behind the free-throw line (informally known as the foul line or the charity stripe), a line situated at the end of the restricted area. Free throws ...

s to go with five rebounds and five assists with one turnover. In February 2005, interim coach Kevin Pritchard promoted Telfair to the team's starting lineup. Telfair notched 6.8 points and 3.3 assists per contest. The Blazers ultimately lost 23 of their final 28 games that season, finishing with the team's worst record since 1973–74. Under new head coach Nate McMillan, Telfair began the 2005–06 season as the starting point guard and was occasionally paired in the backcourt with another high school draftee taken in 2005, Martell Webster. Telfair improved upon his 2004–05 numbers; though his production was still seen by multiple commentators as being somewhat below par for an NBA starting point guard. As a result, Telfair experienced increasing pressure from various local media. In December 2005, Telfair suffered a thumb injury and was replaced in the starting lineup by Steve Blake, who went on to have fewer turnovers and more assists. Telfair returned to the court on January 9, 2006, after having missed twelve games. Blake continued as the starting point guard with Telfair coming off the bench. Although the Trail Blazers had already been eliminated from

playoff The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...

contention that season, Telfair scored the game-winning basket against the

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...

on April 5, 2006.

Boston Celtics (2006–2007)

On June 28, 2006, the Trail Blazers traded Telfair, along with center Theo Ratliff and a 2008 second-round pick, to the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...

for guard Dan Dickau, center–forward Raef LaFrentz, and the 7th overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft, Randy Foye, who was traded to the

Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves (often referred to as the Wolves or T-wolves) are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Divisio ...

for the 6th overall pick, Brandon Roy. Telfair wore number 30, as his traditional number 31 was retired by the Celtics. On April 24, 2007, Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck announced that Telfair's

nameplate A nameplate identifies and displays a person or product's name. Nameplates are usually shaped as rectangles but are also seen in other shapes, sometimes taking on the shape of someone's written name. Nameplates primarily serve an informat ...

on his Celtics locker had been removed and did not expect him back for the 2007–08 season.Celtics move toward severing ties with Telfair
ESPN.com news services, published April 25, 2007

Minnesota Timberwolves (2007–2009)

On July 31, 2007, the Celtics traded Telfair, along with Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff and two first-round draft picks, to the

for Kevin Garnett. He was given the # 3 jersey while with Minnesota, the same number that his cousin, Stephon Marbury wore while playing for that team. In the 2007–08 season, Telfair had his best season as a pro, averaging 9.3 points and 5.9 assists per game. Telfair also had a stretch of five games in which he had 40 assists and only four turnovers. He wore number 3 for the Timberwolves because the number 31 had been taken by shooting guard Ricky Davis. On July 22, 2008, the Minnesota Timberwolves re-signed Telfair to a three-year contract. Because the Timberwolves fired head coach Randy Wittman and replaced him with interim coach Kevin McHale, Telfair played for his sixth coach on his third NBA team in his fifth NBA season. He played in 75 games including 43 starts.

Los Angeles Clippers (2009–2010)

On July 20, 2009, Telfair was traded to the

Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...

along with Craig Smith and Mark Madsen in exchange for Quentin Richardson.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2010)

On February 17, 2010, Telfair was traded from the

to the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...

as part of a three-team, six-player trade that sent Antawn Jamison from the

Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...

to Cleveland, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, a 2010 first-round pick (which became Lazar Hayward) and the rights to Emir Preldžić from Cleveland to Washington, Drew Gooden from Washington to Los Angeles, and Al Thornton from Los Angeles to Washington.

Return to Minnesota (2010–2011)

On July 26, 2010, Telfair was traded back to the

, along with Delonte West, for Ramon Sessions and Ryan Hollins.

Phoenix Suns (2011–2013)

Right after the 2011 NBA lockout ended, Telfair signed with the Phoenix Suns on December 9, 2011. His contract had him initially staying for one year, but he received a team option to play for a second season in Phoenix. Telfair started for the Suns in a 91–87 victory against the

. Telfair would score a season high 21 points in a 105–91 loss to the

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

. During the month of April in the shortened season, Telfair averaged an impressive 10.9 points and 3.6 assists on a .522 shooting percentage. In other months, he had averaged 4.7 points and 1.9 assists on a .358 shooting percentage.

Toronto Raptors (2013)

On February 21, 2013, Telfair was traded to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Hamed Haddadi and a second-round draft pick. He became a free agent in the summer of 2013.

Tianjin Ronggang (2013–2014)

In October 2013, Telfair signed a one-year deal with the Tianjin Ronggang of the

Oklahoma City Thunder (2014)

On July 15, 2014, Telfair signed with the

Oklahoma City Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Confer ...

. On November 26, 2014, Telfair scored five points against the

Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. Since the 1991–92 season, the ...

. He was waived by the Thunder that same day.

Xinjiang Flying Tigers (2014–2015)

On December 2, 2014, Telfair signed with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers for the rest of the 2014–15 CBA season.

Fuijan Sturgeons (2016–2017)

On November 18, 2016, Telfair signed with the Fuijan Sturgeons.

Legal issues

On October 16, 2006, Telfair had a chain, valued at $50,000, snatched from his possession outside Sean "Diddy" Combs's restaurant, Justin's. As it happened, rapper

Fabolous John David Jackson (born November 18, 1977), known professionally as Fabolous, is an American rapper. Raised in Brooklyn, he first gained recognition for his ability upon performing live on DJ Clue's WQHT, Hot 97 radio show. Jackson then signed ...

was shot outside the same club shortly afterward. The following night, Telfair left a pre-season basketball game against the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...

to observe a police lineup, but he did not identify any of the potential suspects. Telfair and a friend, Al Eden Fuentes, were arrested early on April 20, 2007, and charged with felony possession of a weapon. The arrest was preceded by a traffic stop prompted when Telfair was spotted driving his 2006 Range Rover at on the

Bronx River Parkway The Bronx River Parkway (sometimes abbreviated as the Bronx Parkway) is a limited-access Parkways in New York, parkway in downstate New York in the United States. It is named for the nearby Bronx River, which it parallels. The southern terminus ...

, a zone. Telfair was driving with a suspended Florida license. Furthermore, when police searched Telfair's vehicle, they uncovered a loaded .45 caliber handgun under the passenger's seat. Both Telfair and Eden claimed to not have any knowledge of the firearm. The police were unable to determine the registration status of the handgun. In September 2008, Telfair pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon and received three years' probation. In October 2008, the NBA handed him a three-game suspension following the guilty plea. On June 11, 2017, Telfair and another man were arrested on weapons and marijuana-related charges during a traffic stop in Brooklyn. Police pulled them over for driving without headlights on and illegally parking. Inside the vehicle, officers spotted a lit

joint A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...

, and a subsequent search yielded three loaded handguns, a semiautomatic rifle, a ballistics vest, and several bags of marijuana that were among suitcases, clothing, shoes, and furniture parts. Sebastian was in New York at the time for what was supposed to have been only a matter of hours, being in between a move of residence, and for the opening of basketball courts at the

Coney Island Coney Island is a neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the south and west, and Gravesend to ...

projects where he was raised. In April 2019, following a two-week trial, Telfair was found guilty of felonious weapons possession. On August 12, 2019, he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for the offense. His conviction was overturned by the

New York Court of Appeals The New York Court of Appeals is the supreme court, highest court in the Judiciary of New York (state), Unified Court System of the New York (state), State of New York. It consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeal ...

on November 21, 2023. Reported by ESPN from an October 7, 2021 indictment, eighteen former NBA players, including Telfair,

Jamario Moon Jamario Raman Moon (born June 13, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for one season at Meridian Community College and began his professional career with teams in the United States Basketbal ...

, Glen Davis, Tony Allen and Darius Miles, were arrested on charges alleging they defrauded the league's health and welfare benefit plan out of about $4 million. According to the indictment, the former players engaged in a widespread scheme to defraud the plan by submitting false and fraudulent claims to get reimbursed for medical and dental expenses that were never actually incurred. Telfair pleaded guilty to charges of fraud on March 16, 2023. He was sentenced to three years probation.

Biographical coverage

Telfair is the subject of the book, ''The Jump: Sebastian Telfair and the High-Stakes Business of High School Ball'' (), by Ian O'Connor as well as a documentary film by Jonathan Hock, '' Through the Fire''; the latter follows Telfair through his final year in high school and accounts his decision to choose the NBA over college. Telfair is the cousin of Stephon Marbury, a former NBA and CBA star, and the half-brother of former NBA player Jamel Thomas. Attending Lincoln High School in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, Telfair was the school's all-time leading scorer until Lance Stephenson broke his record in 2009. Telfair was also named New York State Mr. Basketball following his outstanding senior season at Lincoln. His younger brother Ethan Telfair, who likewise featured in the documentary film, played basketball at Idaho State.Lincoln relying on youth to defend dynasty
/ref>

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 68 , , 26 , , 19.6 , , .393 , , .246 , , .789 , , 1.5 , , 3.3 , , .5 , , .1 , , 6.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Portland , 68 , , 30 , , 24.1 , , .394 , , .352 , , .743 , , 1.8 , , 3.6 , , 1.0, , .1 , , 9.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, 78 , , 30 , , 20.2 , , .371 , , .289 , , .818 , , 1.4 , , 2.8 , , .6 , , .1 , , 6.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

, 60 , , 51 , , 32.2 , , .401 , , .281 , , .743 , , 2.3 , , 5.9 , , 1.0 , , .2 , , 9.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 75 , , 43 , , 27.9 , , .383 , , .346 , , .819 , , 1.7 , , 4.6 , , 1.0 , , .2 , , 9.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Clippers , 39 , , 1 , , 14.9 , , .404 , , .234 , , .774 , , 1.1 , , 2.9 , , .6 , , .1 , , 4.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

, 4 , , 0 , , 19.3 , , .457 , , .222 , , .833 , , 1.0 , , 3.0 , , .5 , , .0 , , 9.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 37 , , 8 , , 19.2 , , .402 , , .359 , , .733 , , 1.5 , , 3.0 , , .7 , , .1 , , 7.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Phoenix , 60 , , 1 , , 14.9 , , .412 , , .314 , , .791 , , 1.5 , , 2.3 , , .7 , , .2 , , 6.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", Phoenix , 46 , , 2 , , 17.3 , , .381 , , .381 , , .772 , , 1.5 , , 2.5 , , .6 , , .2 , , 6.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, 13 , , 0 , , 14.2 , , .290 , , .270 , , .833 , , 1.2 , , 3.0 , , .7 , , .1 , , 4.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

, 16 , , 1 , , 20.4 , , .368 , , .300 , , .706 , , 1.9 , , 2.8 , , .6 , , .0 , , 8.4 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 564 , , 193 , , 21.5 , , .390 , , .319 , , .777 , , 1.6 , , 3.5 , , .7 , , .1 , , 7.4

References

External links

*
Yahoo! Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Telfair, Sebastian 1985 births Living people Abraham Lincoln High School (Brooklyn) alumni American expatriate basketball people in China American men's basketball players 21st-century African-American sportsmen Boston Celtics players Cleveland Cavaliers players Fujian Sturgeons players Los Angeles Clippers players McDonald's High School All-Americans Minnesota Timberwolves players NBA high school draftees Oklahoma City Thunder players Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Phoenix Suns players Point guards Portland Trail Blazers draft picks Portland Trail Blazers players Basketball players from Brooklyn Tianjin Pioneers players Xinjiang Flying Tigers players 20th-century African-American sportsmen