Jeff Teague is literally living in his parents' basement this season
A trade can upend the life of a professional athlete. In addition to the long-term issues that came along with an unexpected change in teams, players must immediately move many of their belongings, find a new place to live, and adjust to a new city with new coworkers. Those changes can sometimes be for the better, but they still require a great deal of attention.
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New Indiana Pacers point guard Jeff Teague at least has some advantages over many of his peers. The 28-year-old, an Indianapolis native, told The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski that it’s been his dream to play in his hometown, so all those complicating factors probably seem worth it. For that matter, Teague already owns a home in the city, so he had at least one immediate dwelling option when the Atlanta Hawks traded him before June’s draft.
The trouble, though, is that Teague gave that house to his parents when he signed his second four-year contract with the Hawks in 2013. So, instead of kicking his mom and dad out, Teague is just going to live in their basement. From an interview with Fox Sports 97.5 FM in Indianapolis (via For The Win):
“I bought a home here some years back, and when I re-signed back with Atlanta, I just decided that I was going to live in Atlanta. And I just gave the house to my mom and dad. And now, I sold my house in Atlanta, so now I’m moving back. So now I’m gonna live in my old house with my mom and dad.” […]
They’ve got the master [bedroom], I’ve just got the basement.
Teague added that he will not have a curfew or be required to mow the lawn, so all in all it sounds like a pretty sweet deal. At least until his father walks around in a bathrobe any time he has a friend over.
Jokes aside, this seems like a smart move for Teague as long as he and his parents enter the arrangement with eyes wide open and a clear set of rules. While it seems like Teague would prefer to say with Indiana for several years, he will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason and is not guaranteed to agree to terms with the Pacers. If he has a good option on hand, there’s really no use in searching for the perfect home now when he could have to move again in a year. If he does stay with the team, he will presumably find a more permanent arrangement.
Plus, no matter what happens from here on out, this scenario sounds like the perfect basis for a TV sitcom. Check your local listings for “The Teague of Indiana Homeowners” soon!
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at efreeman_ysports@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
