A recent transfer from Alabama basketball, Jahvon Quinerly decided to pursue his last year at Memphis. The NJ guard will play for Penny Hardaway and looks to help the Tigers succeed this season.
Jahvon Quinerly is a Memphis Tiger
Quinerly’s Background
Quinerly is a former McDonald’s All-American who played at Hudson Catholic in NJ. He committed to Villanova, which didn’t work out as planned and later transferred to Alabama. Here, he played exceptionally well as a starter and sixth man. He averaged a career-best 13.8 points per game in 2022. Injuries plagued him this past season, but he played solid basketball toward the end of the season. Quinerly found his groove again and electrified audiences at Alabama, but he decided to enter the transfer portal and go to Memphis for his last season.
His Skillset
Quinerly has impressive offensive skills that add value to the Tigers. First, he creates his shot. He has an elite handle and change of speed, allowing him to find angles to get to the basket and separate for step-back threes. Moreover, his ability to hesitate and get his defender in the air, or off-balance, makes him difficult to guard. Additionally, Quinerly is an exceptional passer and catch-and-shooter. Last season, he produced an assist rate of 32%, which is excellent, and was in the 87th percentile on catch-and-shoot shots.
Furthermore, Quinerly excels in transition. He loves to play fast and uses his speed and quickness to attack the basket on the break. He is at his best in the open court because of his speed and dribble. Therefore, Quinerly generates opportunities for himself and his teammates.
Quinerly’s Weaknesses
Defense
Quinerly is not the tallest or the strongest guard out there. Therefore, he is a liability on defense as an on-ball defender. He gets beat to the basket, sealed off in the post, and he cannot affect shooters enough with his closeouts. Furthermore, size is a factor in defense because it allows a defender to disrupt shooters and shot-creators. A smaller guard struggles in today’s game because they don’t have the height to affect or the weight to handle stronger players. Unfortunately, Quinerly has this issue, and he must try to work on his on-ball defense to maximize his final season.
Turnovers
While Quinerly is a good passer, he tends to turn the ball over. He had 122 assists to 72 turnovers last season, but he was second on the team in turnovers and played ten fewer minutes than Brandon Miller, who was first. His turnovers stem from dribbling through clogged defenses or trying to make plays in transition. Again, he gets more assists, but he must lessen his turnovers for next season.
The Fit
His fit in Memphis is a good one. Quinerly brings a lot on the offensive end to help the Tigers produce more offensively. Alabama was 40th in offensive efficiency last season, while Memphis was 66th. He helps them with reliability at the guard position and is a player who can score from all levels on the court. He will also make the players better through his passing.
More importantly, Quinerly is a winner. He won an SEC Championship and made runs in the NCAA Tournament every year at Alabama. Therefore, Memphis is in a good spot because an experienced, winning guard is coming to town.
