When Jeff Teague walked into the Indiana Pacers practice facility recently, there was a singular moment that it washed over him that he had truly come home in the NBA.

"It didn't really hit me until I met Larry Bird," Teague told The Vertical on Sunday night.

Everything changes for him now, the Pacers turning a trade on the eve of the NBA draft into securing the franchise's long-term solution as point guard. He was raised in Indianapolis, reveres the history and lore of Hoosiers basketball and forever imagined the chance to play pro ball in Bankers Life Field House. After seven seasons in Atlanta – including a 60-victory regular season, a trip to the Eastern Conference finals and an All-Star berth – Teague gets everything he ever wanted now: the Pacers and a superstar teammate, Paul George.

"I've always wanted to play for the Pacers, and thought they were going to pick me 13th when I came out in the draft. But they picked Tyler Hansbrough instead," Teague told The Vertical.

"To get to play with Paul, he has a dynamic about him that I've never played with in the NBA. I haven't played with someone as dominant as him. I played with Joe Johnson a short time, but Paul's ability to score the ball and make plays for other players is unlike anything I've ever been around."

In the end, the Atlanta Hawks made the choice to go with young point guard Dennis Schroder over Teague. After the season, Teague and his agent, J.R. Hensley of ASM Sports, discussed his future with president coach Mike Budenholzer and general manager Wes Wilcox and made it clear: Teague preferred that they work with him to find a trade and move on. In the end, Teague has remained respectful and reverent of Budenholzer, whose coaching helped transcend Teague's career.

"I knew that it was coming to an end," Teague, 28, told The Vertical. "I could feel it. I knew they were going into a different direction and could tell it wasn't with me. But I accepted it."

Eventually, Teague's minutes started to shrink as Schroder, the young, explosive point guard started to earn a greater role.

"I would say that it made the year harder," Teague said. "I felt like we could've played more together, that we could've been a really dynamic two guys who could shoot and penetrate and do it all. But it became a tug-of-war based on who was playing better.

"But we had a lot of fun playing there together. We had a team of great guys, and we made some history in Atlanta and did some things that hadn't been done. I always loved to play in the Highlight Factory, and the fans were great to me there. Coach Bud was a class act, just great to me. I have great memories."

Now, Teague joins a Pacers franchise in transition, the Teague trade coupled with the free-agents signings of center Al Jefferson and the trade for forward Thaddeus Young.

"I'm excited to play with this group, this is a dream come true for me in Indiana," Teague told The Vertical. "I can't wait to get started."