Quinton Hooker facts for kids
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| Free Agent | |
|---|---|
| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | January 22, 1995 Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, US |
| High school | Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minnesota) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | North Dakota (2013–2017) |
| NBA Draft | 2017 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2017–present |
| Career history | |
| 2017–2018 | GTK Gliwice |
| 2018–2019 | Vichy-Clermont Métropole |
| 2019–2020 | Falco Szombathely |
| 2020–2021 | Mitteldeutscher |
| 2021–2023 | Bnei Herzliya Basket |
| 2023–2024 | SIG Strasbourg |
| 2024–present | Akern Libertas Livorno |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Quinton Hooker (born January 22, 1995) is an American professional basketball player. He plays as a point guard, which is like the team's leader on the court. He is 1.83 meters (6 feet) tall. His last team was SIG Strasbourg in France.
Quinton went to Park Center Senior High School in his hometown of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. In his final year, he was named Minnesota Mr. Basketball, which means he was the best player in the state. Even though he was a great high school player, not many big colleges tried to recruit him. He decided to play college basketball at North Dakota from 2013 to 2017.
During his time at North Dakota, he was chosen as an all-conference player twice in the Big Sky Conference. In his last year, he helped his team win a conference title. They also made it to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament for the first time ever! After college, Quinton started his professional career playing basketball in Europe.
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Quinton's Early Life
Quinton Hooker was born on January 22, 1995. His dad, Raynard, played college football. His mom, Janice, worked night jobs. When he was younger, Quinton played many sports like basketball, soccer, baseball, and football. By the time he was in ninth grade, he decided to focus only on basketball.
High School Basketball Career
Quinton played basketball at Park Center Senior High School in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. He scored over 2,000 points during his high school career. He became a starter on the team when he was just a sophomore (tenth grader).
In his junior year, he averaged 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists per game. He was named second-team all-state for his great playing. As a senior, he averaged 23 points per game. He led his team, the Pirates, to the state championship game. He was named Minnesota Mr. Basketball as the best player in the state.
Quinton also played for an AAU team called the Howard Pulley Panthers. Even though he was a great player, he was not considered a top recruit by many colleges. This was partly because he was not very tall for a basketball player at 6 feet. However, an assistant coach from North Dakota, who knew Quinton since he was a child, helped him commit to playing there.
College Basketball Journey
Quinton Hooker played for the University of North Dakota (UND) from 2013 to 2017. He became one of the best players in the school's history. He finished sixth in scoring, fourth in assists, and third in steals all-time. In his senior year, he was the team captain. He led the Fighting Hawks to their first Big Sky Conference title. They also made their first appearance in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
First Years at North Dakota
When Quinton started college, he was expected to take a year off from playing (called a redshirt year). But the coaches saw how good he was and decided he was ready to play right away. He played his first game for UND on November 13, 2013. He scored 17 points in that game. He became a starter later in his first season. North Dakota made it to the Big Sky conference title game that year but lost.
In his second year, Quinton played much more. He started every game and led his team in scoring, assists, and steals. He even had his first "double-double," which means getting double-digit numbers in two different stats (like 14 points and 10 assists). He almost had a "triple-double" (double-digits in three stats) in another game. Even with his great play, the team had a tough season and did not make the conference tournament.
Junior Year Highlights
In his junior year, Quinton became a big leader for his team. He was one of the top scorers in the Big Sky Conference, averaging 20.1 points per game. This was the best scoring average for a UND player since the school joined Division I.
On February 4, 2016, he made history by getting the first "triple-double" for UND in Division I. He had 13 points, 10 assists, and 12 rebounds in one game! He also set a new school record by scoring 38 points in a single game against Portland State. He scored over 1,000 career points during this season. For his amazing performances, he was named Big Sky Player of the Week twice.
North Dakota made it to the 2016 Big Sky Conference tournament. Quinton played incredibly well, scoring 30 points in one game and 38 points in another. He was named to the all-tournament team. At the end of the season, he was named first-team All-Big Sky.
Senior Year Success
Before his senior year, Quinton was voted the preseason Big Sky MVP by the media. He continued to play at a very high level. On January 26, 2017, he scored 23 points and hit the game-winning shot with just one second left! He also scored a season-high 35 points in a big win against Eastern Washington. His team won seven of their last eight regular-season games. This helped them win the regular-season conference title.
In the 2017 Big Sky Conference tournament, Quinton led his team to victory. He scored 28 points in the championship game against Weber State. This win gave North Dakota their first-ever spot in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. As a #15 seed, they played against #2 seed Arizona. Quinton scored 25 points in his final college game, but Arizona was too strong. North Dakota finished the season with a record 22 wins. Quinton was again named first-team All-Big Sky.
Awards and Achievements
Quinton Hooker received many awards during his college career:
- 2-time First-team All-Big Sky Conference (2016, 2017)
- Big Sky tournament MVP (2017)
- 2-time Big Sky All-Tournament Team (2016, 2017)
- 2-time Lou Henson Mid-Major All-American (2016, 2017)
- Lou Henson National Player of the Week
- 4-time Big Sky Player of the Week
- Set the Division I single-game school scoring record
- Achieved the first Division I triple-double in school history
Professional Basketball Career
After college, Quinton tried out for NBA teams like the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves. Then, in August 2017, he signed his first professional contract with GTK Gliwice in Poland. He became the starting point guard for the team. On February 11, 2018, he achieved a rare "triple-double" in a Polish league game. This was only the tenth time it had happened in the league's history! He also scored a season-high 40 points in another game.
In July 2018, Quinton moved to France to play for Vichy-Clermont Métropole. He started every game for them during the 2018–19 season.
In July 2019, Quinton joined Falco Szombathely, the champions of Hungary. He played in the Basketball Champions League, which is a big European competition. His team was at the top of the Hungarian League when the season ended early because of the COVID-19 pandemic. No champion was named that year.
In July 2020, he signed with Mitteldeutscher in Germany. He then signed with Riesen Ludwigsburg in Germany in June 2021.
On September 6, 2021, Quinton signed with Bnei Herzliya Basket in Israel. He played there for two seasons. In 2022, he helped his team win the Israeli Basketball State Cup.
In July 2023, he signed with SIG Strasbourg in France.
Before the 2024–25 season, Quinton signed with Akern Libertas Livorno in Italy.
Quinton's Personal Life
Quinton has two older sisters, Chelsia and Brehana. They were also athletes in high school. He also has a younger brother, Amani Hooker, who plays professional football as a safety for the Tennessee Titans.
Quinton got engaged to his high school sweetheart just before he signed his first professional basketball contract.
See also
In Spanish: Quinton Hooker para niños
