Former high school star, Jahvon Quinerly failed to convert the attempt into the NCAA, and on Friday he announced that he was putting an end to his career.
“I made the decision to quit basketball, which has greatly contributed to making me who I am today.”Quinerly wrote on social media. “This sport has opened so many doors for me and I will always be grateful for that, but God has chosen another path for me. I can’t keep fighting with something I don’t love anymore. I apologize to those I’ve disappointed and I will always be grateful to those who had faith in me. However, I am now taking another path, which should allow me to be happy and love myself again.”
Six years in NCAA!
After graduating from high school, Quinerly joined Villanova after learning that the coach at Arizona, where he was supposed to play, was under investigation by the FBI. This was the beginning of a very chaotic college career, as he then left Villanova for Alabama, where the rules prohibited him from playing the first season. It was then 2020… Fortunately, he made up for lost time and participated in three “March Madness”. In 2021, he was voted the best sixth man in the SEC. Two years later, he was the MVP of the SEC end-of-season tournament.
But NBA scouts still ignore him, and he decides to spend a 6th and final season in Memphis, where Penny Hardaway is coached. There, he averages 13.5 points and 4.9 assists. Not enough to get drafted, and rather than aiming for a start in Europe or a place in the G-League, he decided to stop.
$1 million in sponsorship earnings
“To most people, I will always be remembered as a failure. But while that’s true in basketball, they say the greatest accomplishments in life often come from the toughest failures. I’m fortunate to have won $1 million in NIL while playing in college and I’m excited to take advantage of the head start it’s given me. I’m excited for the opportunity to experience more of this incredible world and all it has to offer. And to be able to identify for the first time as someone other than a basketball player.”
