Jeff Teague not voted to All-Star rookie team. Woody: “That’s because of me”

Woody, Teague and Sund (photo via i.cdn.turner.com)

San Antonio– Jeff Teague didn’t make the roster for the Rookie Challenge game on All-Star weekend. It’s not surprising: The Hawks drafted Teague 19th overall draft , and the rookie team (voted on by NBA assistant coaches) usually features guys playing big minutes for bad-to-middling teams. And that’s how it is this season: of the nine players on the rookie team, only San Antonio’s DeJuan Blair is playing a major role for a team aiming for a serious postseason run (he’s another one of those second-round steals for the Spurs even if his bad knees only hold up for a couple more seasons).

So when Woody says Teague didn’t make the team “because of me” (calm down, haters), what he means is he hasn’t played Teague the kind of minutes it takes to get more shine. That’s how it’s going to be for Teague this year as long as Bibby and Crawford are healthy. The Hawks are thinking big, and in this situation 99 percent of rookies just have to get in where they fit in.

Teague, who has said he understands the deal even if he gets frustrated sometimes, didn’t have much to say today about not being voted to the rookie team. Asked if he had hoped to make it, he shook his head. Asked if he’s disappointed, he said: “I don’t give a (blanK) about that.”

Just in case Teague does care, Woody planned to address the issue with his rookie: “I will sit him down later and talk to him, because that’s no knock against him. He’s going to be a player in this league.”