Jeff Teague is a closet full of NBA stories, with each one as entertaining as the last. One of the main reasons his podcast, the "Club 520 Podcast", has skyrocketed in popularity since its inception and since Teague retired from the league is the stories he told from his 12 seasons in the Association.
His latest story, however, comes from his high school days, specifically one day in particular against five-time All-Star Kevin Love . During a "Club 520" podcast episode, Teague was asked about the one Caucasian player he couldn't throw off their game, and immediately pointed to K-Love as a teenager.
"The only white dude where I was like, 'Damn, we can't punk him!' was Kevin Love . He played for like Oswego or something. I'm like, 'We about to punk this dude. He fat. Man, he probably had 70 points on us. Him and Kyle Singler, they killed us. Them two white dudes were good," he said .
Teague's recount should come as no surprise to anyone. Love was one of the best NBA prospects in the country during his youth. Performances such as this one earned him a scholarship to college powerhouse UCLA, before the Memphis Grizzlies selected him as the fifth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and immediately traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night, instantly making him their franchise cornerstone.
Love was a unique big man, far ahead of his time even as a teenager. He showcased a dominant display of low-post scoring, paint physicality, rebounding and outside shooting that was rare in a front-court player. Kevin was also a gifted passer for his size, especially after hauling in defensive rebounds and finding his teammates in transition with his patented outlet passes.
The world saw it at the NBA level, but it's clear Teague had a front row seat to his greatness years before that inside a small high-school gym.
Teague called it a day on his NBA career following a championship in 2021 with the Milwaukee Bucks , but Love is still very much in the NBA mix. He's currently a free agent following a brief stint with the Utah Jazz . There are multiple reports that interest from around the league in Kevin's signature remains high, even at 38 years old.
Clearly, the California native is a shell of his former self, and the player he was in high school is gone, but Love has stepped into a role as a team mentor and trusted locker-room veteran in the latter stages of his career.
The Jazz have shown interest in bringing him back. However, there is a crowded front court with the arrivals of Jusuf Nurkic and Jaren Jackson Jr. , and the Timberwolves have reportedly shown interest in a reunion. They recently landed wing Johnathan Kuminga in restricted free agency. However, many in the league still feel they need depth in the front-court behind starting center Rudy Gobert .
It would be a great story for Kevin to finish his career with the team where he built his reputation, and, as a fun sidebar, there is no doubt that every time Jeff sees him on TV, he's taken back to the day K-Love gave him the business.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Sep 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
