Al Jefferson thinks it was his generation that 'messed up' the NBA: 'At 23 I'm vet on the team, I'm considered one of the elite guys'

In today's fast-growing game, it seems that the impact of young stars is greater than ever before. Rookies are being handed the keys to the franchise, and before signing their second contracts, many of them are already considered veterans in the league.

Although this trend is attributed to the growing culture of social media, which provides many young athletes with a platform to express themselves outside of the court but takes their minds out of the game, Al Jefferson, a member of the early 2000s generation, believes it all started with them.

"I'mma be honest with you, I think that my generation messed that up. Think of it like, I came into the league at 19, so at 23 I'm vet on the team, I'm considered one of the elite guys on the team. Guys like Paul Pierce, Dwight Howard, and Josh Smith, we 22, 23 years old, and we're one of the leaders on the team," "Big Al" explained on his latest appearance on the "Out the Mud Podcast."

"It's not saying that we did anything on purpose or personal, it's just we was young, how can we teach the young guys when we still gotta learn," the retired big man continued. "They ain't listening, we doing the same sh*t they doing."

"Big Al" was handed the keys

Jefferson came into the league as the 15th overall pick of the 2004 NBA Draft directly out of high school. Although it took him a few years to acclimate to playing in the best league in the world, in his fourth season, after moving from the Boston Celtics to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he became a 20 and 10 machine, averaging 21.0 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.

But, as the Mississippi native says, he was only 23 years old when he took on the role of team leader. And as talented as he was, Al, like many of his peers, had not fully matured yet.

What must an OG vet provide?

One of those players who symbolized what it means to be an OG vet during the latter part of his career was none other than Udonis Haslem. Haslem never stood out statistically in his career, but his experience was extremely valuable for the Miami Heat, with whom he won three Larry O'Brien trophies during his 20-year tenure in South Beach.

It was this practical experience with various championship squads that allowed him to know what every contender needs in the locker room, and what it takes to be considered an OG.

"When you talk about being an OG, and we talk about doing this sh** the right way, the first thing an OG should do is sacrifice. Stop calling yourself an OG if you don't want to sacrifice. You can't call yourself an OG if you don't want to sacrifice," UD once said.

Without the steady veteran presence of those who have been through almost everything in the Association, it's impossible to reach the top of the NBA. However, even more than the silverware, OGs are there to guide young talents on the right path to reach their full potential.