All Aggies

Jahvon Quinerly: Why College Basketball's Constant Surpriser Could Be A Future Aggie

After four seasons with the Crimson Tide, Jahvon Quinerly is once again entering the transfer portal, and for a career as surprise-riddled as his, the Aggies shouldn't be counted out of the running to land him, as they could be his latest surprise and final destination.

Matt Guzman

In this story:

Originally, Alabama point guard Jahvon Quinerly decided that Tuscon, Arizona was home. 

Coming out of high school, the 5-star point guard committed to play for the Wildcats, where he was set to become a McDonald's All-American favorite and "the next great thing." 

The only issue is that he wasn't. He wasn't even given the chance.

An FBI investigation into the program all-but incriminated Quinerly, whose soon-to-be assistant coach was arrested on a money-related corruption charge. Days later — almost as quickly as he committed — Quinerly chose not to sign with Arizona, instead signing a lawyer on his behalf before making his next college decision.

That decision turned out to be Villanova, where Quinerly joined coach Jay Wright and the Wildcats in what he thought was going to be a winning partnership. Villanova had a strong history of NCAA tournament, making it seem like the right move at the time.

Twenty-five games later, however, and Quinerly went without a start — averaging just 9.1 minutes a game. He was an explosive scorer with the skills to be a shifty passer as well, but didn't quite fit Wright's system, nor the level of maturity needed to succeed at the high level he wished to. 

Instead of making things work with Wright, Quinerly opted to switch gears, leaving the Big East for the SEC and the Alabama Crimson Tide. He had to sit out a season after being denied a transfer waiver, but a year later, he was on the court for the Tide playing the best basketball of his college career. 

That season, Quinerly averaged 12.9 points and 3.2 rebounds on 43 percent 3-point shooting. He was living up to the level of performance that both Arizona and Villanova thought they were getting, just a couple of years too late. 

From there, the point guard continued to make noise with the Tide, though his career continued to take unexpected turns. After his second season with Alabama, Quinerly was intending to declare for the NBA, but an ACL tear in the first-round of the NCAA tournament kept him in Tuscaloosa for another season while he recovered. 

The season wasn't as productive for the guard as in previous years, but it still gave him a chance to prove his worth. By the end of the year, Quinerly had averaged 8.7 points and 3.6 assists, which was enough to earn the SEC's Co-Sixth Man of the Year Award.

Now, Quinerly's journey just continues to expand, as he announced Sunday night that he will be entering the transfer portal once again to fulfill his final year of eligibility.  

This is truly a bittersweet moment for me," Quinerly posted on social media regarding his decision to transfer. "Sometimes as time goes on, we know it’s time to move on, take risks, and follow our heart. Part of my journey is taking risks and following [mine]."

Quinerly hasn't made known any ideal destinations yet, but one can only speculate where the veteran might be looking next season, making the Texas A&M Aggies a potential suitor — as surprising as it might be. 

Next season, standout guard Wade Taylor IV will be returning for his junior year alongside Tyrece Radford, who is staying in Aggieland for his fifth and final college season, leaving the Aggies' backcourt in good shape. 

That's not to say Quinerly wouldn't be a positive addition. In fact, his role could resemble that of Dexter Dennis — Texas A&M's heart and soul last season. 

"[Dexter is] the best listener I've ever coached,” Williams said midseason of the transfer guard. “I've [said] that before, but the consistency and who he is as a person … [I’m] just so grateful that he’s here.”

So, would Quinerly generate that same sense of gratitude for Williams and the Aggies?

In short, most likely. The similarities are there, especially on the court. Last season, Dennis averaged 9.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. And Quinerly? 8.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. 

The size difference between both guards is their main dissimilarity. Dexter has four inches of height on Quinerly, which translated into a higher rebounding average, and the Alabama star used his shorter stature to be more of a facilitator and 3-point shooter. 

Quinerly would fit into Buzz Williams' rotation as well, as the Aggies' go-to lineup to start games usually consisted of all three Dennis, Taylor and Radford. Substitute Quinerly for the former, and Texas A&M has another strong starting lineup as they prepare to continue their last-season conference success. 

To add icing on the cake, Quinerly — being a winning-focused player — likely wouldn't hate the idea of partnering with a talent like Taylor, especially given the praise he had for him and Radford following the SEC tournament:

"We only [saw] Texas A&M one time before this game," he said immediately after the championship game. "We didn't come out with the right energy against their guards in particular. Today I just wanted to make sure Wade didn't do what he's been doing all weekend. That was just a big emphasis from Coach, to stop Radford and Wade." 

That game, Quinerly finished with 22 points in a complete showcase of his talents,  which wasn't anything new for the guard. It was something he was used to, and —despite a lack of faith from fans at times — expected of himself. 

"My basketball journey has been something that any student-athlete could only dream about," Quinerly said in his goodbye statement to Alabama. "It has definitely come with its share of ups and downs but I was very fortunate to have such a beautiful support system to help me through some of my difficult moments." 

Yes, Jahvon Quinerly has endured his share of ups and downs. He's arguably endured the most, even, but through it all, he's proven his talents and his passion for basketball.

And while it may take another surprise from him to make a College Station commitment possible, that kind of player is perfect for Williams and Texas A&M. 

You can follow Matt Guzman on Twitter and Instagram

Hey 12th Man! Want to see the Aggies in action? Get your Texas A&M game tickets from SI Tickets here!

Subscribe to the Texas A&M Aggies Daily Blitz Podcast!

Follow AllAggies.com on Facebook and Twitter!

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Aggies? Click Here to Subscribe to the All Aggies Newsletter

Want even more Texas A&M Aggies News? Check out the SI.com team page here

Published
Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

Home/Basketball