Trash talk in the NBA isn’t just a side act—it’s an art. Some players use it to gain a mental edge, but others end up regretting it. And guess who’s back with another wild story? The king of NBA storytelling himself, Jeff Teague. But here’s the best part. This time he wasn’t even playing. Dude was chilling on the bench, still finding a way to rattle his opponent. Although he still fell short when it came to corner Raymond Felton. Wild, right? Well, not if you know Jeff.

March 6, 2009. Fans were on the edge of their seats as the Atlanta Hawks faced the then-Charlotte Bobcats. With the game on the line, Raymond Felton drilled a clutch two-pointer that sealed the deal. Sounds simple, right? Not exactly. Defenders were all over him, trying to shut him down. But according to Jeff Teague, that wasn’t enough. From the sidelines, he decided to step in his own way. Man! It almost led him to a fight with Felton.

On a recent episode of the Class 520 Podcast, Jeff Teague shared the hilarious moment.  And a fan re-shared the same on X. “He (Raymond Felton) went to the basket one time, I was like Hell nah” Jeff said. Felton heard him and scored anyway, but you could tell that he was getting heated. He responded, “Man, shut your a** up.”  That was all Jeff needed. He knew he was in Felton’s head. “But I’m laughing, Caz now I got him pissed off like I’m getting under your skin” Eventually, the players started ignoring him, but Jeff had another reason to keep going. “I ain’t playing, so I’m trying to entertain myself.”

That makes sense, right? But Felton wasn’t about to let the trash talk get to him. He made the last game-winning shot, shutting down all the criticism and trash talk Jeff threw at him. The moment was his, and he let the emotions fly. With fire in his eyes, he turned toward the stands right where Jeff was standing. Jeff’s reaction? “He ran on the stand, and I’m like, ‘Oh, sh*t… he’s about to come for me.” 

That night, Jeff Teague got a taste of his own medicine. Raymond Felton didn’t have to say a word, his teammates handled it for him. See, when you’re running your mouth from the bench, it’s not just the opponents who hear you. Your own teammates hear it too, and sometimes, they aren’t thrilled about it. So, as the team headed to the locker room, veteran Maurice Evans made sure Jeff got the message loud and clear. “Shut the fu** up!” Evans snapped.  Brutal? Maybe. But looking back now, it’s all love.

Years later, on the Class 520 Podcast, the same guys who lived that moment were cracking up about it. And here’s the best part, the so-called “villain” of the story, Raymond Felton, was right there too. No grudges, no hard feelings, just a group of former players reliving one of the funniest trash-talking moments ever. And of course, Jeff, the “greatest storyteller in basketball,” had everyone in stitches.

Teague has always been known for his talk, but he backed it up on the court too. Before his storytelling days, he carved out a solid NBA career, starting with the Atlanta Hawks in 2009.

Jeff Teague’s run with the Atlanta Hawks

Jeff Teague’s NBA journey kicked off when the Atlanta Hawks picked him 19th overall in the 2009 draft. And just a month later, he put pen to paper, officially joining the squad. His rookie season? Not exactly mind-blowing, but hey, everyone’s gotta start somewhere. He averaged 3.2 points, 1.7 assists, and 0.9 rebounds in just over 10 minutes per game. Nothing crazy, but by the end of the season, he showed flashes of what was coming.

On April 14, 2010, he went off against the Cavaliers and dropped 24 points, dishing out 15 assists, and grabbing five boards. Oh, and he played every single minute of that game. Talk about finishing strong!

Fast forward to his second season, and you could see the improvement. He bumped his numbers up to 5.2 points and 2.0 assists per game while shooting better from deep. He hit double figures 12 times and even had three 20-point games. One of his best nights? March 12, 2011. He dropped another 24-piece in a solid win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Slowly but surely, Jeff was proving he belonged in the league. 

Trash talk is a game within the game. While it can shake opponents, it can also backfire, fueling their competitive fire. Felton’s response proves that sometimes, the best way to silence trash talk is by letting your game do the talking