Basketball has always attracted the love and attention of countless people. Some people have become stars on the court because of their talent, while others have won the trust of everyone by overcoming difficulties with their superb basketball IQ. Lester Quinones is one such player, a young talent who has played alongside James Wiseman and Jordan Poole, and with his ball intelligence and hard work, he has won the favor of Steve Kerr. This article will look at Quinones' upbringing, college efforts, and performance in the NBA, etc., to see how he earned Kerr's trust with his ball quotient.
Lester Quinones was born in Brentwood, New York, the son of an avid New York Knicks fan. Just when he was a child, his father often took him to watch the melon (Carmelo Anthony) game. Quinnez, however, is the Golden State Warriors. He was fascinated by the shooting skills of Curry and Thompson and admired their dominance in the NBA. He aspires to be a great pitcher like them.
Quinones started playing at an early age and showed great talent in sixth grade. As a four-star high school student, he received an olive branch from St. John's University in New York. Although the head coach of St. John's University in New York was the famous Chris Mullin, Quinones ultimately chose the University of Memphis. He firmly believes that only in this school with an excellent coaching team can he better develop his basketball skills.
Quinones spent three years of his college career at the University of Memphis. There, he gained many valuable experiences and lessons. As a guard, Quinones has shown his accuracy in shooting three-pointers, shooting 37 percent from three-point range in his three-year college career. However, the most important thing is not his skill level, but the basketball philosophy he learned from the coaching staff at the University of Memphis – playing with IQ.
At the University of Memphis, Quinones had the privilege of being mentored by the famous coach "Penny" Hardaway. Influenced by Penny's basketball philosophy, Quinones learned how to use his IQ to make the right decisions in the game. At the heart of this philosophy is the simplification of the game, the confidence in which to shoot, and the tenacious aggressiveness of the game. It is this ball intelligence that makes Quinones unique on the pitch.
Although Quinones excelled in his college career, he didn't end up being a first-round pick due to some flaws in his talent. However, his dream was not broken. The Golden State Warriors offered him a two-way contract, which made his basketball dream a reality.
Quinones started his career in the G-League and showed great performances in the Summer League. When Jordan Poole was traded away by the Warriors last summer, Quinones had high hopes for the local best and was hailed as the next young talent to succeed Poole. Quinones and Poole are not just good friends, they also share many similarities in their playing styles and upbringing. However, it was the basketball philosophy that Quinones learned from the University of Memphis coaching team that made him stand out from the crowd.
One day in 2024, the Warriors played away against the Grizzlies, and Quinones came on and showed his quality. He conquered Curry with his outstanding performance, and Curry spoke highly of him after the game. In Curry's eyes, Quinones is a player who knows how to simplify the game, and he can influence the direction of the game with a consistent and efficient shooting percentage. Such a player will naturally be able to gain more minutes and the trust of the coach.
Lester Quinones is a player who has earned Kerr's trust with his superb basketball IQ. Although he doesn't possess the same talent as Wiseman and Poole, he managed to find his place in the NBA through hard work and ingenuity. From the germination of his basketball dream to the realization of his dream, Quinones has experienced many difficulties and challenges, but he has always maintained perseverance and determination. His story teaches us that basketball is a sport that requires more than just physical fitness, but also intelligence and perseverance. Perhaps each of us can find some inspiration and motivation in the story of Quinones to pursue our basketball dreams.