Sebastian Telfair has inked a one-year deal with Tianjin of the Chinese Basketball Association, according to Yahoo! Sports.
A free-agent, the 28-year-old Telfair joins cousin Stephon Marbury in taking his game abroad after a lengthy NBA career. Telfair has played for seven NBA teams since making the leap out of high school as the 13th pick in the 2004 NBA draft.
In China, he will be entrusted with running Tianjin's offense, while also positioning himself for a potential NBA return once the Chinese basketball season ends around the time of the NBA All-Star break.
"We wanted to make a move from a position of control, and allow Sebastian the chance to run a team this season before coming back to the NBA," Andy Miller, Telfair's agent, told Yahoo! Sports. Telfair will join Shelden Williams, another former first-round NBA pick, with Tianjin.
Through his nine NBA seasons, Telfair has averaged 7.4 points and 3.5 assists. He played parts of the 2012-13 season with Phoenix and Toronto.
Considered by many to be one of the best available unsigned players in the NBA's free-agent class this summer, Telfair attracted modest interest from the likes of Miami, Dallas and both L.A. squads during the early free agency period. The Brooklyn-born, streetball legend was also the subject of a critically acclaimed book, "The Jump,", based on his senior year at Lincoln High School and his immediate jump to the NBA.
After a 13-year NBA run, Marbury has been playing professionally in China since 2010.
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