Sebastian Telfair

The Blazers ultimately lost 23 of their final 28 games that season, finishing with the team's worst record since 1973–74.

Sebastian Telfair (born June 9, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the NBA and the Chinese Basketball Association.

Telfair was picked thirteenth overall in the 2004 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers on the heels of an eminent high school career playing for Abraham Lincoln in Brooklyn.

He had committed to the University of Louisville during his senior year, but decided to turn professional instead.

Telfair is the cousin of former NBA player Stephon Marbury.

Telfair was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Erica Telfair and Otis Telfair, a Vietnam War veteran who served as a Marine.

Living in the Surfside Gardens projects in Brooklyn's Coney Island, he attended Abraham Lincoln High School, where he became one of the most highly lauded and coveted high school basketball prospects in the country.

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 University of Louisville 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.

Telfair was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the thirteenth overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft.

Telfair improved upon his 2004–05 numbers; though his production was still seen by many commentators as being somewhat below par for an NBA starting point guard.

As a result, Telfair experienced increasing pressure from various local media.

On January 1, 2005, Telfair scored 14 points on five-for-eleven shooting, making four of five free throws 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.

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.

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 contention that season, Telfair scored the game-winning basket against the Houston Rockets on April 5, 2006.

On June 28, 2006, the Trail Blazers traded Telfair, along with center Theo Ratliff and a 2008 second-round pick, to the Boston Celtics 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 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 on his Celtics locker had been removed and did not expect him back for the 2007–08 season.

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 Minnesota Timberwolves 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.

On July 20, 2009, Telfair was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers along with Craig Smith and Mark Madsen in exchange for Quentin Richardson.

On February 17, 2010, Telfair was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a three-team, six-player trade that sent Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards 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.

On July 26, 2010, Telfair was traded back to the Minnesota Timberwolves, along with Delonte West, for Ramon Sessions and Ryan Hollins.

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 Los Angeles Clippers.

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

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.