Kyle O’Quinn’s last taste of NBA basketball may have come during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season but the former Philadelphia 76ers big man is still balling. And it looks like he may have found his next hoops home.
Per an announcement by the team last week, the 31-year-old O’Quinn has agreed to a deal with Paris Basketball of the LNB Pro A in France.
O’Quinn is joining a club that will be making its first foray into the top tier of French basketball next season. Paris earned a promotion by logging a 23-11 record and finishing as the LNB Pro B runner-up in 2020-21; a major feat for a team in just its third year of existence.
Meanwhile, O’Quinn is coming off of a banner year as well.
O’Quinn Was Solid in Turkey Last Season
After failing to catch on with another NBA team last offseason, O’Quinn elected to take his talents across the pond for the first time. He ultimately signed with the Turkish club Fenerbahce, which competes in EuroLeague as well as the BSL.
It may have been a new experience for the former Sixer, but he nonetheless continued to do what he always had on the court.
In 27 games played across all competition, O’Quinn put up 7.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in just over 17 minutes per contest. Along the way, he connected on 66.4% of his field goal attempts and even knocked down some three-point shots.
Last March, O’Quinn made headlines when he credited a 25-point effort in a win over Buyukcekmece to a new haircut. “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,” he said after the game.
With O’Quinn aiding in the cause, Fenerbahce advanced to the BSL Finals in ’20-21. However, the team ultimately lost 3-0 in its title bid to Anadolu Efes.
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O’Quinn in the NBA
Before he made the move to Paris, it had been reported by the New York Post’s Marc Berman that there may have been a level of interest in him from his old club, the Knicks. However, nothing ever materialized on that particular front. Still, O’Quinn is young enough that another NBA team could still bring him in as a bench big.
He played relatively well during his last stint in the Association with the Sixers.
O’Quinn appeared in 29 games for Philly in ’19-20, making two starts and averaging 3.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.8 blocks in just 10.8 minutes per game. His best effort with the Sixers came in the bubble when he put up nine points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and two steals in a loss to the Phoenix Suns.
A veteran of eight NBA seasons, O’Quinn also played for the Knicks, Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic.
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