Hawks draft Wake Forest’s Jeff Teague in first round

The Hawks didn’t pass on the sophomore point guard from Wake Forest this time.

Four years after taking Marvin Williams instead of Chris Paul early in the NBA draft, the Hawks snagged Jeff Teague with the 19th pick Thursday.

If Teague’s pro career comes anywhere close to Paul’s, the Hawks will have landed the steal of this draft. Paul is a two-time All-Star, an Olympic gold medalist and widely regarded as the best point guard in the NBA just four years into his career with New Orleans.

The expectations for Teague won’t be nearly as crazy as they were for Paul — there were seven point guards drafted ahead of him Thursday night — but Teague says years from now he expects everyone to realize that the Hawks got the best of the bunch.

“I feel like when you look back down the road, I’m going to be the best point guard taken in this draft,” Teague said via conference call from his home in Indianapolis. “With my potential and my work ethic, I feel like I’m going to be the best. Those other teams are going to realize they passed up on a great point guard, and the Hawks got me.”

In the second round, at pick No. 49, the Hawks took 6-foot-5 Sergiy Gladyr, a 20-year-old shooting guard from Ukrainian League.

On a Hawks team still uncertain at the position — second-year man Acie Law IV and wounded veteran Speedy Claxton were traded to Golden State earlier in the day for veteran Jamal Crawford — Teague assumes the mantle of “point guard of the future.”

Teague’s arrival, along with that of Crawford, gives the Hawks insurance heading into free agency next week. Mike Bibby, the Hawks’ starting point guard the past year and a half, is an unrestricted free agent.

“When we ended the season I made it clear to ownership and [Hawks general manager] Rick [Sund], you win 47 games, it would be nice to get everybody back and see where we go next season,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said.

“But the way we ended the season, it was hard to evaluate our team. So to bring all of those guys back and give it another shot means a lot to me, because with a healthy team we would challenge Cleveland with the way played this season.”

Teague said he’s already familiar with the Hawks, having used them regularly on the NBA Live video game.

“I play the video game a lot, and that’s who I roll with, the Atlanta Hawks,” Teague said. “Joe Johnson, that’s my guy. Every time I give him the ball he scores. Josh Smith is an exciting player, and Al Horford inside.

“When the Hawks said my name, it was a great feeling. I feel like it’s a great opportunity for me. I just have to come in, work hard and show that I can run the team.”

The benefit for Teague and the Hawks is that he won’t be pressed into immediate service with Crawford and potentially Bibby around to assume those duties.

“I think when you’re picking 19, its tough for a player to come in and get into the rotation right away,” Sund said. “He’s a pretty good talent, so if anybody can, it may be Jeff. He has a great handle, and he can really shoot it, and I like guys that can shoot it.”

Teague is just 6-1 and 178 pounds, so he knows there is work to do.

“I have to get stronger,” he said. “I know that. This is a big off-season, but I feel like my game is suited for the NBA. I’m not the biggest guy in the world, but I do feel like I can come in and contribute to the Atlanta Hawks.”