Don't walk in front of me, because I won't follow, don't walk behind me, because I won't lead the way, please go with me, because we are friends.
Born in Mississippi in 1985, Al Jefferson, like many others, had a difficult childhood, and Jefferson's basketball dream began with his mother's basketball hoop made of simple wooden strips and scrap iron barrels. He has often played since he was a child, and after going to high school, he also showed his due talent, he once cut 62 points, 21 rebounds and 11 blocks in a single game. High school career averaged 33.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.7 blocks, won the 03-04 McDonald's All-American High School Student Best Player, complemented the then proud son of heaven James, in 2004 Jefferson entered the NBA with 15th pick, signed the Celtics, after two years of trial and error, in the case of the main injury in the team in 2006, Jefferson bench started well, and supported the Celtics' interior line during Paul Pierce's injury, and it is also like this, Jefferson is grateful to the Celtics, he thinks he will play for the Celtics until retirement.
But the NBA has always been a business league, in the 06 season, he played a price, in 2007 was traded to the Timberwolves, and the transaction object is the wolf king Garnett, for a time, Jefferson felt ridiculous. His loyalty was nothing more than a pawn in someone else's, and the boss, Angie, only informed him by a phone call that he was no longer a member of the team, and then he packed his bags and headed to Minnesota. At the Timberwolves player meeting, Jefferson looked at his future teammates, who were enthusiastic and willing to accept and believe in him. Years later, in an interview, Jefferson recalled that day when he told himself that I would prove the deal wrong, maybe I was not doing well now, but I had the ability to be the future of Boston, and Boston chose the present, which disappointed me, since it could not be the future of Boston, then become the present of Minnesota.
Jefferson's performance also caught the attention of general manager McHale, who saw his younger self in this young man. With his strong support, in the 07-08 season, Jefferson played full attendance, averaging 21 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, and shooting 50% from the field, which was basically the same as Garnett at the time, and Jefferson repeatedly set new career highs this season. On February 9, 2008, Garnett returned to Minnesota for the first time as a Celtic player, and the entire target center cheered for the former wolf king, this year, the Celtics also won the championship strongly, Jefferson knew in his heart that he was just a trade, a banished person.
Later, in a season, Jefferson was accidentally injured during a confrontation, and the examination resulted in a torn cruciate ligament, and during his injury, Love carried the Timberwolves banner, and Jefferson gradually became a marginal figure. But young he still has a chance, the Utah Jazz love power forwards, he is willing to give Jefferson a chance, and the team also brought in Millsap and Deron Williams, Jefferson with solid skills in the Jazz to provide the Jazz averaging 18.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, the good times are not long, jazz veteran Coach Sloan and Delon's quarrel, so that the team becomes fragmented, the manager left, the core point guard left, the injured Jefferson is not capable of bringing the team into the playoffs, as Gordon Hayward grows, Jefferson also successfully entered the playoffs with a steady means, the 11-12 season Jazz is eighth in the West, Jefferson averaged 19.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, this year has been seven years since he last entered the playoffs ......
At the end of the season, the Jazz didn't renew Jefferson's contract, and meanwhile, the Bobcats' Kemba Walker met in person to recruit him, and Charlotte was a small-ball city at the time and wouldn't be under much pressure. After joining the Bobcats, Coach Clifford was very serious about pointing out his problems, and took Yao Ming and Howard as examples to say how it should change in the future, which made Jefferson realize how he felt like he was valued. In the 13-14 season, Jefferson's average data increased to 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, becoming the Top Scorer of the Bobcats, but after this year, his state also declined, and the glory gradually followed, coupled with the growth of Kemba Walker, the addition of Batum, the Heat's victory, the rise of small balls, so that players with retro play like him were abandoned, and the momentum can create heroes, but also destroy heroes...
In August 2018, Jefferson came to the CBA to join Xinjiang Guanghui, but was subsequently replaced, and announced his retirement in 1919. Current Lakers coach Vogel commented on Jefferson said: "Al's low-post technology is unique, the closest thing to it in history is McHale", Jefferson's career has been to many teams, has not been trusted by the team, and has no opportunity to become the cornerstone of the team, talented, hard work, after all, can not escape the opportunity and fate.
Coach Rivers, who used to coach Jefferson, put it this way: Some people always bring sunshine to your life, and Al is the one who brings sunshine to the NBA, he is this sunshine, no matter where he goes, the sunshine will always come with it.