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When Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid hit up their personal barber for All-Star shape-ups, things went horribly awry. Instead of taking the court with the NBA’s best players (and their fresh trims) at All-Star Weekend, the Philadelphia 76ers duo was ruled out and placed in health and safety protocols due to possible COVID-19 exposure.
Former Sixers big man Kyle O’Quinn had the opposite experience.
After getting his own hair trimmed, the hoops journeyman had what was arguably his best game as a professional player. In doing so, he helped his Fenerbahce squad to a big win over a Turkish Super League rival in Buyukcekmece.
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O’Quinn Boosted by Barber’s Handiwork
With Fenerbahce missing a pair of frontcourt players in former NBA lottery pick Jan Vesely and Ahmet Duverioglu, O’Quinn was asked to shoulder more of the load than usual for the Turkish power. He responded by showing out on both sides of the floor.
O’Quinn scored 25 points on 12 of 15 shooting (one of which was a three-pointer) and added 15 rebounds and two blocked shots in the contest. As a result, Fenerbahce won the game 81-70 to improve to 19-6 on the season.
During his post-game media availability, as relayed by Eurohoops via Twitter, the eight-year NBA veteran had a very strong idea about what inspired him to play so well.
“You know, you appreciate coach for giving me an opportunity,” he said. “I got the fresh-cut gimme, you know, Manny came to town and took care of me and I think that was the biggest thing for tonight.”
When asked by the reporter to elaborate on the challenge that had been presented by the opponent, O’Quinn obliged momentarily before shouting out his barber once again.
“It was a very tough match, they played opposite of us — they played small, they played fast — we had to match their energy, but, you know, for the most part we felt good,” he said. “Like I said, Manny came to town and got me the fresh cut and that’s what really got me going today.”
His response caught the eye of his former Sixers teammate Tobias Harris, who tweeted, “Protect @Kyle_OQuinn at all cost.”
A Career Night and O’Quinn’s Future
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GettyKyle O’Quinn of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball during a 2020 game against the Phoenix Suns.
O’Quinn’s 25-point night represented his biggest scoring output since turning pro. His previous high was 23 points, which he accomplished twice, most recently as a member of the New York Knicks during a 2017 game against the Brooklyn Nets.
His best game with the Sixers came during the team’s time in the bubble, when he fell just one point shy of logging a triple-double against the Phoenix Suns. O’Quinn finished with nine points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and two steals in the contest.
In 29 regular-season appearances for Philly, O’Quinn averaged 3.5 points, four rebounds and just under two assists per game.
Although the Sixers opted not to retain his services for the ’20-21 campaign, O’Quinn may still find his way back to the Association this season. According to the New York Post’s Marc Berman, the Knicks have had internal discussions about bringing him back into the fold.
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