Basketball players are often asked to share their ‘welcome to the NBA’ moment.Many rookies burst onto the scene full of energy and excitement, having accomplished their goal of making it to the league.Many basketball stars have been handed ‘welcome to the NBA’ moments, which include being dunked onGettyBut then something happens, an initiation of sorts, that reminds them they have entered a whole new world – and often takes them down a peg or two.That is a ‘welcome to the NBA‘ moment.Getting dunked on during your debut, struggling to guard an all-time great, or sharing a locker room with the biggest stars in basketball are just a few examples of such a scenario.Many humbling moments happen on the court.But for Jeff Teague, his came away from the arena, in his rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks.During an appearance on the Club 520 podcast, the former point guard was asked to recall his ‘welcome to the NBA’ moment, and it didn’t disappoint.“How much money people really got, that’s the thing that caught me off guard,” Teague responded.“You hear people make millions and stuff. So we used to get check stubs, right? And as a rookie, I got my check stub.“I think mine was probably like $86,000 for the two weeks or whatever. I’m like, damn.“So I just grabbed Joe Johnson’s. Let me see what Joe’s s*** look like. That s*** said two million on it.”Teague was stunned by Johnson’s paycheck, describing it as an unforgettable momentGettyTeague went on to reveal that he didn’t understand just how much money there was in the league until that moment, which also made him want to figure everything out.He continued: “I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got to figure some s***out. This is my life and you’re getting this in two weeks?’“I couldn’t understand it. As a young dude, you’re coming in, you’re coming into the money.“My mom and dad didn’t have money, so I ain’t come from money.”Of all the paychecks for a rookie to look at, Johnson’s was by far the most humbling.The seven-time All-Star signed a six-year, $123.7million contract with the Hawks in 2010, which, at the time, made him the NBA’s highest-paid player.Johnson became the NBA’s highest-paid player in 2010GettyHis signing occurred during one of the most star-studded free agency summers in league history, with Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Amar’e Stoudemire, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Dirk Nowitzki also signing high-profile deals.Teague, meanwhile, was a rookie selected with the 19th overall pick by the Hawks just 12 months prior.He went on to establish himself in the NBA between 2011 and 2014, before securing an All-Star selection in 2015.Teague then joined the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017, signing a three-year, $57m contract of his own.Teague went on to make millions himself, and win the NBA ChampionshipGettyFollowing that stint in Minnesota, his last few seasons in the NBA saw a brief return to Atlanta and a short run with the Boston Celtics, before Teague landed with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.There, he linked up with Giannis Antetokounmpo and co to win the NBA Championship in his 14th and final year.Teague joked at the time that he ‘got an A on the group project’ – suggesting he didn’t do quite as much work as his teammates – but they all count.