Indiana Pacers center Kyle O’Quinn had his college jersey retired earlier this month.
Earlier this month, Indiana Pacers center Kyle O’Quinn was honored at the college of which he is an alum. He had his jersey retired at Norfolk State University.
The event happened on February 16th, as Norfolk was taking on North Carolina Central. O’Quinn’s Spartans would go on to win the game 75-71, with the ceremony for KOQ taking place at halftime.
O’Quinn was a monster at Norfolk State. He averaged a double-double in each of his final two seasons while playing there, with averages of 15.9 points and 10.3 rebounds during his senior year. He was named to many All-MEAC teams, including the All-Tournament team, the All-Defense team, and both the first and second teams in different seasons. In his senior campaign, he finished as the MEAC Player of the Year. That same season he was honored as the Lou Henson Award recipient for being the top mid-major player in all of college hoops.
That resume alone makes O’Quinn standout at Norfolk State, but what cemented his legacy was dominant play in the NCAA tournament. In 2012, Norfolk was in the tournament as a 15 seed, and they were set to take on 2 seeded Missouri, one of the best teams in the country.
No problem. Kyle O’Quinn and co. won the game 86-84, and O’Quinn dominated, posting 26 points and 14 rebounds. That completed his resume. His jersey deserved to be retired. He became the third men’s player in school history to see his jersey retired.
David Hall of Pilot Online was on hand to see the event, and he captured what O’Quinn had to say during the moment.
“This is big for my family. Not just me. It’s a personal accolade that we didn’t see coming. It’s all about me, kind of, but I really wanted to make this weekend really about the people who really made it possible.”
Isn’t that the most Kyle O’Quinn quote ever? He is one of the most selfless guys of all time. He joined the Indiana Pacers because he liked the culture, and that quote speaks to what he adds to the culture of this team. O’Quinn has been a luxury for the team as a player all season, and this honor is proof of just how great of a guy he is. Congratulations to him.