Al Jefferson

Lore & Background

Born in Monticello, Mississippi, Jefferson attended Prentiss High School in Prentiss from 2000 to 2004. In his senior year, he averaged 42.6 points, 18 rebounds and seven blocks per game. He was a five-star recruit and the No. 1 center in the nation in 2004. He originally committed to Arkansas but opted to enter the NBA draft directly from high school.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed with anticipation as Jefferson settled into the paint, back to the basket. The crowd roared, sensing another battle brewing near the rim. He caught the entry pass deep, absorbing the contact without flinching. With a subtle pump fake and a heavy turn-around jumper, he rose above the defense. The net swished, sealing another quiet but decisive moment in his Charlotte chapter.

Reader's Guide

Jefferson was drafted 15th overall by the Boston Celtics in 2004. He played for the Celtics (2004–2007), Minnesota Timberwolves (2007–2010), Utah Jazz (2010–2013), Charlotte Hornets (2013–2016), and Indiana Pacers (2016–2018). He earned third-team All-NBA honors in 2014 with the Hornets. He scored a career-high 40 points twice, once against the New Jersey Nets on January 27, 2008, and again against the Charlotte Bobcats on April 8, 2008. He set a single-game franchise record with 26 rebounds for the Timberwolves on January 13, 2010.

Did You Know?

• Jefferson was not the first high school player drafted directly by the Boston Celtics; the Celtics had previously drafted high school players such as Kendrick Perkins in 2003.
• He averaged 42.6 points, 18 rebounds, and 7 blocks per game in his senior year of high school.
• His career high is 40 points, which he achieved multiple times with the Timberwolves and Jazz, not just twice in the 2007–08 season.
• Jefferson set a Timberwolves franchise record with 26 rebounds in a double-overtime loss to the Houston Rockets on January 13, 2010, not a triple-overtime game.