Former UW Forward Quincy Pondexter Joins Mike Hopkins' Staff
SEATTLE – Mike Hopkins has finalized his coaching staff with another former University of Washington hooper.
On Monday, the Huskies announced the hiring of eight-year NBA veteran Quincy Pondexter to round out the men’s basketball bench. Pondexter fills the vacancy created after Dave Rice left the program on April 15.
Prior to his professional career, Pondexter spent four seasons at UW and finished his career as the fifth highest scorer in program history with 1,786 points from 2006-10.
“We are thrilled to add Quincy to our staff,” Hopkins said in a release. “His Husky pride runs deep and what he accomplished as a player both in college and in the NBA is going be a great role model for our players.
"He’s achieved what they all dream of and brought it to reality through professionalism, hard work and resiliency. His passion for developing players is going to immediately infuse our program with energy and we can’t wait to have him back on the sidelines in Seattle.”
The addition of Pondexter is a well-fashioned move by Hopkins for two reasons.
One, it brings a former NBA player to the staff who recruits have seen play recently in the league. Pondexter and fellow assistant Will Conroy missed the opportunity to play at UW together by one season.
After Conroy graduated from the school in 2005 he went undrafted but landed a handful of 10-day contracts and D-League opportunities before moving overseas.
Pondexter was selected No. 26 overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2010 NBA Draft and immediately traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. He spent one season with the Pelicans and two with the Memphis Grizzlies before injuries hampered his career.
In 2013, Pondexter was one of several notable active NBA players who returned to Hec Ed for the Husky Alumni Game put on by then-head coach Lorenzo Romar. It wasn’t going to be the last time the former Dawg would be in the building.
“I always knew that at some point, I would come back to Seattle because my heart has always been at UW,” Pondexter said after his hiring was announced.
“Coach Hopkins has such a great reputation and you can’t help but love his energy, enthusiasm and work ethic. He makes you work harder, makes coming to work enjoyable and I’m excited to grow my relationship with him. I’m eager to help us get back to the top of basketball prominence and develop our men into the best that they possibly can be on and off the court.
"It’s also going to be incredible coaching alongside Will Conroy as he has been a great mentor to me over the years. I’m ready to get back inside that arena and get to work.”
The combination of a well-known former UW player – who was also a Top 50 recruit coming out of San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, California in the 2006 class – with having a multi-year career in the league is something Rice nor Cameron Dollar didn’t bring to the table.
Both facets are crucial in modern college basketball, especially in recruiting.
Two, it brings a brand-new energy to the program.
Similar to Hopkins’ first staff replacement, adding former Cal head coach and long-time college assistant Wyking Jones, which has already proven invaluable with the two transfer additions of Terrell Brown Jr. from Arizona and Emmitt Matthews from West Virginia, Pondexter is embarking on a new phase in his life.
That cannot be understated.
Pairing Conroy – who was able to convince five-star Federal Way High School forward Jaden McDaniels to spur Kentucky and several national powers to stay home in 2019-20 – with Jones and Pondexter gives Hopkins a staff with experience at every level and that hasn’t been the case his first four seasons on Montlake.