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Welcome to this week’s Tigers Basketball Insider. Below you’ll find the latest news and analysis from The Daily Memphian’s Parth Upadhyaya, John Martin and Tim Buckley.
Lester Quinones’ stock continues to rise.
The former Memphis Tigers guard and current two-way player for the Golden State Warriors is looking to find success in his second pro season after a strong showing in NBA summer league in July.
Quinones, a 6-foot-5 combo guard, appeared in his first game of the 2023-24 season on Monday night on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite registering less than five minutes, he made the most of his time on the floor.
After checking into the game with 4:39 remaining — and the Warriors holding a 28-point lead — Quinones rattled in a 3-pointer from the left corner with a little over three minutes left.
Then, with less than two minutes to go, he used a screen from rookie teammate Trayce Jackson-Davis to drive to the hoop for a crafty layup.
Quinones finished the night with five points on 2-3 shooting (1-2 from 3-point range) and one turnover. It’s far from a gaudy stat line, but the fact that Quinones scored more points than he played minutes is noteworthy.
It’s also a promising sign that Quinones — whom Golden State signed to another two-way deal in July — saw action in just the Warriors’ fourth game of the season after not playing a single NBA minute until March 31 last season. He played in just four games in 2022-23 as a rookie and tallied a total of 10 points, three rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes.
But Quinones did suit up and start in 49 games for Golden State’s G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, last season. After finding his groove down the stretch to average 20.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists for the season, Quinones won the 2022-23 NBA G League Most Improved Player award.
Players on two-way contracts are limited to 50 NBA games per season but can still practice, travel and sit on the bench with their respective NBA team. It is unclear how often Golden State intends to use Quinones this season.
Prior to going unselected in the 2022 NBA Draft, Quinones averaged 10.1 points and 4.3 rebounds and shot 36.9% from through three seasons at Memphis.
When discussing the play of freshman Ashton Hardaway after Sunday’s exhibition game win over Lane College, Penny Hardaway said Quinones was one of the best shooters he’s had in his previous five years as the Tigers’ head coach.
Penny Hardaway grouped Quinones with former Tigers Landers Nolley and Tyler Harris as the most elite shooters in his tenure, adding that he felt Ashton Hardaway could soon enter that exclusive club. (Ashton Hardaway finished with 13 points, including 3-5 shooting from 3-point range, against Lane College.)
Quinones is also joined by former Memphis star guard Kendric Davis on the Santa Cruz Warriors’ training camp roster, which the team released Monday.
More from your Insider:
There was a lot to love from Memphis’ blowout victory over Lane College in what was its first of two exhibition games this season.
Tigers rout Lane College in impressive exhibition showing.
Here is the exhibition box score for Sunday’s game between Lane College and the University of Memphis.
Turner, affectionately nicknamed “The Little General” during his Memphis State days, uses lessons he learned as a Tiger as he strives for success as a coach.
There are plenty of things to keep an eye on in what will be the first public, game-setting display for a new-look Memphis squad.
“We’re confident that we’re going to come out on the top side,” said Pat McCain, Williams’ uncle and business manager, to The San Diego Union-Tribune on Friday.
Williams appeared in El Cajon (California) Superior Court on Friday for his rescheduled arraignment.
The University of Memphis center is recognized as one of the 20 best centers in the country ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway and guards Jayden Hardaway and Caleb Mills discussed a variety of topics ahead of the Tigers’ exhibition game against Lane College.
The Tigers’ coach says he will stick by the side of Mikey Williams, despite his sticky legal situation.
Memphis’ support has fueled the Tigers’ women’s basketball team as they head into the 2023-24 season, says head coach Alex Simmons.
Williams, a four-star signee in the Tigers’ 2023 class, now faces a total of nine felony charges in relation to the March 27 shooting outside his home.
Despite Memphis not cracking the AP Top 25 preseason poll, some college basketball pundits have gone as far as to call the Tigers a dark horse Final Four contender.
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