Huskies Mind Their P's and Q's — Hire Quincy Pondexter as Assistant

The University of Washington basketball program makeover continues in an interesting manner, with the school announcing the hiring of former Husky and NBA forward Quincy Pondexter as an assistant coach.

Pondexter, 33, last played pro basketball for the San Antonio Spurs during the 2018-19 season. He has coached AAU teams, but has no collegiate background working on the bench.

He joins Mike Hopkins' coaching staff that also includes holdover assistant Will Conroy and newcomer Wyking Jones, the former California head coach.

“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," Hopkins said in a prepared statement. "He’s achieved what they all dream of and brought it to reality through professionalism, hard work and resiliency."

Hopkins has gone through a near total player roster and coaching turnover following the recently completed 5-21 season, parting with six players and two assistant coaches while adding three new players and hiring a pair of assistant replacements.

The 6-foot-7 Pondexter, originally from Fresno, California, played for the Huskies in 2006-10 at the tail end of the Brandon Roy era and beginning of the Isaiah Thomas tour of duty. He is the UW's fifth all-time leading scorer with 1,786 points.

As a senior, he was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection and led the team with a 19.3 scoring average and in rebounds at 7.4. He was part of a Pac-10 championship club and a pair of NCAA tournament teams.

In the 2010 NBA draft, Pondexter went as the No. 26 pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder and was traded to the New Orleans Hornets. He played for five teams spanning eight seasons in the league, with his career slowed at the end by a knee injury.

“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," Pondexter said in a prepared statement. "It’s also going to be incredible coaching alongside Will Conroy as he has been a great mentor to me over the years.”

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