Jeff Teague and his brother, former Kentucky guard Marquis Teague, were talking about the Kentucky roster when the former NBA player let loose on his feelings.
“Kentucky, I’m not gonna say I don’t like them, but they’re not fun,” Jeff Teague said. “They’re not... I don’t like watching these 25-year-olds. When you’re 25 in college, the league is done. I like to see the NBA players (at Kentucky).”
He even pointed out that he was looking for "the young guy, Jasper (Johnson)."
It's a bizarre rant that is getting roasted by BBN, and for good reason: Jeff Teague is factually, completely wrong.
Let's look at the facts, Jeff
This criticism is lazy. Critique Kentucky's "POOR TEAM DEFENSE" (as Dick Vitale did) all you want, but this "old and boring" take is just false.
Let's look at the actual roster makeup and playing time.
- Seniors: Otega Oweh, Denzel Aberdeen, Zach Tow, Walker Horn. That's it.
- Junior: Mouhamed Dioubate, Brandon Garrison, Jaland Lowe, Reece Potter (redshirting)
- Sophomores: Collin Chandler, Trent Noah, Jayden Quaintance, Andrija Jelavic, Kam Williams
- Freshmen: Jasper Johnson, Malachi Moreno, Braydon Hawthorne
That is 8 juniors and seniors and 8 freshman and sophomores.
The core of this team is its underclassmen. Collin Chandler (sophomore) is the leading scorer and looks very much like the best overall player. Jasper Johnson (freshman)—the very player Teague said he wanted to see, is a key part of the rotation. So, maybe just watch the game then?
And as for "not fun"? This team is averaging 90.7 points per game and, as of the Louisville game, had scored 86 or more points in four straight games against the Cards for the first time in program history.
The offense is trying to find its way, but they do look passable.. The defense is the problem.
Critique Kentucky all you want, but at least come with facts, Jeff.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion