I watched Jeff Teague for an entire game three times (UNC, Duke, and the first round NCAA ). The men of Wake Forest blog Blogger So Dear happened to watch all of them. So to get a full report on Jeff Teague and what he was as a collegian player and what he might be as a Hawk I asked WakeJake and MRickman84. And they were gracious enough to respond. Many, many thanks to them and enjoy.

What did Jeff Teague bring to the Wake Forest team last year?

Jeff brought the ability to score in bunches at any time. That's his biggest strength--the kid would just go off in a variety of different ways. He could shoot the three, shoot the midrange, dunk, make nice feeds and run the break. He was a big part of the reason that the team catapulted up to #1 before subsequently falling.

What part of his game will translate most seamlessly to the NBA?

Jeff's athleticism. He has a great wingspan and a quick first step and he can use that to his advantage. He is a good shooter, but his shot is a bit unorthodox. As long as he has time to get it off, the shot will fall.

What will he need to work on?

He needs to work on a couple of different things. First: his point guard skills. Teague played the point while Ish Smith was hurt but switched back over to SG much of the season. He is not a prototypical point guard by any stretch, he is more of a combo guard, but he needs to improve on his decision making especially. He had a 1:1 A/TO ratio (2.5 per TO per game) and often made some head scratching plays.

In addition he needs to do a better job of getting that killer instinct. At times, he could completely take over games, but other times, with the ball not in his hands, he stood around waiting for the play to come to him rather than getting open or demanding the ball. He can't get away with that in the NBA.

Finally, he has a lot to learn on the defensive end. He has all the physical gifts in the world but was a poor defender, allowing his man to score at will sometimes. He made some great steals and with his long arms had some devastating blocks, but he really needs to commit himself defensively.

or put most succinctly and depressingly by Jake

1) Defense
2) Moving without the ball
3) Turnovers
4) Distributing in fast break situations

Where did you expect Teague to be drafted?

I actually expected Teague to be drafted by the Hawks. There have been talks for awhile of him going there and that range between 15-22 made sense.

What will Hawks fans love about Jeff?

Hawks fans will love Jeff's play making ability. Just Youtube his dunks or watch highlights from the big games he went off in. The kid can play. He is a good shooter, is quick, and has the ability to score at will when he wants to.

Examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTfwcYgNAN8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGpHBh7qU1A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWbZj4F8tds

What will drive them to the beer stand?

The key is from the answer above: when he wants to, he can play. Sometimes, it appears that he doesn't really want to be out on the court though. He didn't work very hard on defense and when it isn't his show, he did not move around to try and get the ball or set screens and he makes some very questionable decisions at the point.

Do you think Teague is a future starting point guard in the NBA?

That is up to him. He has all the gifts in the world but he needs to use them. Through the first 18 games of the season it looked like Jeff Teague was a top 10 pick. Through the last games, he looked like he should have come back to school. His game translates well to the NBA but he needs to put the work in. His shooting touch, his athleticism and his length tell me yes, but his decision making, his defense and his lack of energy at times leave me wondering. If he can work on those, he'll be around for awhile.

Thanks again to Blogger so Dear. I will let them know I have posted this and they may even stop by if you have some other questions.