Sebastian Telfair was once one of the most exciting basketball prospects in New York City, shining as a young point guard from Brooklyn.
Briefly committed to play for Rick Pitino at the University of Louisville, Telfair instead decided to turn pro. He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. The 6-foot guard, whose cousin is two-time NBA All-Star guard Stephon Marbury, played for ten years in the league.
He spent time with the Trail Blazers as well as the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, and Oklahoma City Thunder. Telfair also played overseas in the Chinese Basketball Association.
Legal Issues for Sebastian Telfair
Telfair was one of 18 former NBA players charged in 2021 with attempting to defraud the league’s health and welfare benefit plan.
The scam allegedly involved fake medical and dental expenses in a three-year conspiracy that began in 2017. He pled guilty to those charges in 2023 and sentenced to three years probation.
However, in August 2025, he was ordered to report to prison for six months due to a failure to fulfill his court-ordered community service and report to the U.S. Probation Office.
He sought a pardon from President Donald Trump before he began his sentence.
Relationship with Diddy for Sebastian Telfair
Telfair was robbed outside of Justin’s, a restaurant owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs, in 2006.
The rapper Fabolous was shot outside the club on the same night and Telfair missed a pre-season game against the New York Knicks to observe a police lineup.
Nearly two decades later, the disgraced rapper and the former NBA player were seen chatting at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey.
Telfair previously stated in an interview that he was invited to parties held by Combs but never attended.
