Who is Sebastian Telfair? Looking at his NBA career, net worth, and more

Sebastian Telfair during his early days with the Portland Trail Blazers

It seems as if it wasn't long ago when point guard Sebastian Telfair was one of the most hyped prospects to come out of high school. A former phenom at Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, New York, Telfair was viewed as one of the rising young stars in the basketball world.

It was notable at the time because Telfair was the most discussed high school player since LeBron James, and he had the resume to back it up as well. In 2004, he was named U.S. Mr.Basketball, New York Mr.Basketball, and the McDonald's All-American game MVP.

Telfair was expected to play in college for the University of Louisville and legendary coach Rick Pitino. That was until Telfair decided to skip college and enter the 2004 NBA Draft.

Sebastian Telfair and LeBron James in SLAM magazine

Recently, Telfair was in the news for the wrong reasons. He, along with several former NBA players, was named in an indictment for an alleged healthcare scam around the NBA. It's never something you want to see with players that spent time on the basketball floor at a professional level.

Some players simply struggle with life after basketball. For a player that many considered to be a potential star in the making, Telfair had a bit of a roller-coaster career in terms of expectations. After Sebastian Telfair announced he would skip college and enter his name in the NBA Draft, many had wondered if it was the correct move for the high school guard.

At the time, the NBA allowed players to enter the draft right out of high school. It made it a bit more dangerous for NBA teams as they realized that some guards would need serious time to adjust to the speed of the game.

Sebastian Telfair's net worth as of October 2021

Sebastian Telfair went on to play 10-years in the NBA.

After being selected 13th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft, it seemed as if Sebastian Telfair was destined to become one of the next rising stars in the NBA. Telfair began his career with the Portland Trail Blazers and spent two years with the team before being traded to the Boston Celtics.

From there, Telfair would become a bit of a journeyman in the NBA. In total, he would play for eight different teams during his 10 years in the NBA. Telfair simply never lived up to the hype that was built around his talent in the high school ranks, but he still managed to play 10 years in the NBA.

During his career, Telfair also spent a year playing professionally overseas in China. Telfair was once expected to sign a $15 million deal with Adidas until he was involved in the news for a shootout. As of now, his estimated net worth is in the range of $4 million.