Al Ricardo Jefferson was born on January 4,1985 and is an American former professional basketball player.
36 Facts About Al Jefferson
2.
Al Jefferson was a high school All-American for Prentiss High School in Mississippi before skipping college to enter the 2004 NBA draft, where he was drafted 15th overall by the Boston Celtics.
3.
Al Jefferson played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association for the Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets and Indiana Pacers, earning third-team All-NBA honors in 2014 with the Hornets.
4.
Al Jefferson had originally committed to Arkansas, but opted instead to make the jump to the NBA straight out of high school.
5.
Al Jefferson was drafted with the 15th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 2004 NBA draft, becoming the first high school player to be drafted by the Celtics.
6.
Al Jefferson played primarily as a power forward and averaged 6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per game during his rookie season.
7.
Al Jefferson averaged 7.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18.0 minutes per game during his sophomore season.
8.
On November 8,2006, prior to the fourth game of the season, Al Jefferson had appendectomy surgery at New England Baptist Hospital and subsequently missed seven games as he returned to the lineup on November 22,2006.
9.
On March 3,2007, Al Jefferson scored a career-high 32 points to go along with 18 rebounds against the New Jersey Nets, against whom he had previously set his career high in points against earlier in the season.
10.
On July 31,2007, Al Jefferson was traded, along with Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair and draft picks, to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Kevin Garnett.
11.
Al Jefferson defined himself as one of the premier big men in the NBA by being only one of four players to average 20 points and 10 rebounds.
12.
Al Jefferson ranked 5th in the NBA in rebounding, averaging 11.1 and 2nd in offensive rebounds per game, only behind Tyson Chandler.
13.
Al Jefferson is ranked 12th in the NBA efficiency and is 3rd in the NBA in double-doubles.
14.
Al Jefferson scored a career-high 40 points against the New Jersey Nets on January 27,2008 and repeated such a performance against the Charlotte Bobcats on April 8,2008.
15.
Al Jefferson was having a career best year, averaging 23.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in the first 50 games of the season, until suffering a serious right knee injury after landing awkwardly on one leg in a game at New Orleans.
16.
Al Jefferson claimed that he felt a pop in his knee and the injury resulted in a complete tear to the ACL which required reconstructive surgery that ended his season.
17.
On January 13,2010, Al Jefferson set a single-game franchise record with 26 rebounds in a triple overtime loss to the Houston Rockets.
18.
On July 13,2010, Al Jefferson was traded to the Utah Jazz for two future first round picks and center Kosta Koufos.
19.
In what was an injury-riddled season for the Jazz, Al Jefferson started in all 82 games during the regular season and regained some of his explosiveness in 2011, showing he was fully recovered from the devastating knee injury he suffered in 2009.
20.
Al Jefferson posted a career-high 40 points late in the season against the Minnesota Timberwolves and was poised to be the catalyst for the Jazz to make a return trip to the playoffs.
21.
On July 10,2013, Al Jefferson signed a three-year, $40.5 million contract with the Charlotte Bobcats.
22.
However, despite the big contract with a new team, Al Jefferson's arrival was delayed by a right ankle sprain that caused him to miss the entire preseason and nine of the team's first 12 games.
23.
On January 31,2014, Al Jefferson tied a career high with 40 points in a win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
24.
Al Jefferson continued his high level of play en route to winning the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for his performance in March 2014.
25.
On June 4,2014, Al Jefferson was named to the 2014 All-NBA third team.
26.
Al Jefferson was ruled out for four weeks the following day after he was diagnosed with a strained adductor muscle in his left groin.
27.
Al Jefferson returned after sitting out one game to score 10 points in a blowout loss to the Utah Jazz.
28.
Al Jefferson missed 11 games between December 2 and December 23 due to injury and suspension, returning to action on December 26 against the Memphis Grizzlies, coming off the bench for the first time since January 24,2015.
29.
Al Jefferson finished with two points on 1-of-8 shooting and four rebounds in 17 minutes, and fouled out with 8:10 remaining in the fourth quarter.
30.
On July 9,2016, Al Jefferson signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Indiana Pacers.
31.
Two days later against the Los Angeles Lakers, Al Jefferson had his second straight 20-point game.
32.
Al Jefferson missed the final eight games of the regular season with a sprained left ankle.
33.
On November 8,2017, Al Jefferson had a 19-point effort against the Detroit Pistons.
34.
On July 2,2018, Al Jefferson was waived by the Pacers.
35.
In July 2018, Al Jefferson signed with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association.
36.
On March 23,2019, Al Jefferson announced his retirement from the NBA.