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 |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Quinton Hooker (born January 22, 1995) is an American professional basketball player. He is 1.83 meters (6 feet) tall and plays as a point guard. He last played for SIG Strasbourg in France.
Quinton went to Park Center Senior High School in his hometown of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. He was named Minnesota Mr. Basketball in his senior year, which means he was the best player in the state. Even though he was a top high school player, not many colleges tried to recruit him.
He played college basketball at North Dakota from 2013 to 2017. During his time there, he was chosen as an all-conference player twice in the Big Sky Conference. In his final year, he led his team to win the conference title. This also led them to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I tournament.
After college, Quinton started his professional career playing overseas in Europe. His first team was GTK Gliwice in Poland in 2017. He later played for teams in France, Hungary, Germany, and Israel.
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Quinton Hooker's Early Life
Quinton Hooker was born on January 22, 1995. His father, Raynard, played college football. His mother, Janice, worked night jobs.
When he was young, Quinton played many sports. These included basketball, soccer, baseball, and football. By the time he was in ninth grade, he decided to focus only on basketball.
High School Basketball Career
Hooker 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 a sophomore.
In his junior year, he averaged 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists per game. He was named second-team all-state. As a senior, he averaged 23 points per game. He led his team, the Pirates, to the state championship game. He was also named Minnesota Mr. Basketball, recognizing him as the best player in the state.
Quinton played for the Howard Pulley Panthers in the AAU. However, most of the attention was on his teammate, Tyus Jones. Because Quinton was not very tall at 6 feet, he was not a highly sought-after player by colleges.
A coach from North Dakota, who had known Quinton since he was a child, helped him commit to the school early on. Even though he visited other schools, he signed to play with North Dakota in November 2012.
College Basketball Journey
Quinton Hooker played for the University of North Dakota (UND) from 2013 to 2017. He became one of the top players in the school's history. He finished sixth in scoring, fourth in assists, and third in steals.
After a tough sophomore year, he became the captain of the Fighting Hawks in his senior year. He led them to their first Big Sky Conference title. This also marked their first time playing in the NCAA Division I tournament.
First Two College Seasons
Quinton was expected to take a "redshirt" year as a freshman. This means he would practice but not play in games. However, his coaches 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 the season.
In his sophomore year, Quinton played in all 30 games and started every one. He led the team in scoring (12.8 points per game), assists (4.2 assists per game), and steals (1.5 steals per game). He had his first "double-double" (scoring double digits in two different stats) with 14 points and 10 assists. He even came close to a "triple-double" (double digits in three stats) with 15 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds.
Junior Year Highlights
In his junior year, Quinton became a key leader for his team. He was third in the Big Sky Conference for scoring, with 20.1 points per game. This was the best scoring record for a UND player since the school joined Division I.
On February 4, 2016, he achieved the first "triple-double" in UND Division I history. He had 13 points, 10 assists, and a career-high 12 rebounds. He also set a new career-high with 38 points in a game against Portland State. He scored 1,000 career points during this game. For his amazing performances, he was named Lou Henson National Player of the Week.
North Dakota made it to the 2016 Big Sky Conference tournament. Quinton scored 30 points in their first-round win. He was named to the all-tournament team. He led the tournament in scoring with 27.0 points per game. At the end of the season, Quinton was named first-team All-Big Sky.
Senior Year Success
Before his senior season, Quinton was voted the preseason Big Sky MVP by the media. He had a strong start to the season. On December 31, 2016, he scored 31 points in a win against Sacramento State.
On January 26, Quinton had 23 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds. He also made the winning shot with one second left in the game. He scored a season-high 35 points on February 9. His team won seven of their last eight 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 tournament. As a #15 seed, they played against #2 seed Arizona. Quinton scored 25 points in his final college game, but Arizona won. UND finished the season with a record 22 wins. Quinton averaged 19.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. He was again named first-team All-Big Sky.
College Awards and Honors
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
- First Division I triple-double in school history
Professional Basketball Career
After college, Quinton tried out for the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves. He then signed his first professional contract with GTK Gliwice in Poland in August 2017. He said a trip to Europe in 2015 helped him see the basketball world outside the U.S.
He played his first professional game on September 30. By December, he was the team's starting point guard. On February 11, 2018, he achieved a rare feat: a triple-double. He had 20 points, 16 assists, and 13 rebounds. This was only the tenth triple-double in Polish league history. He also scored a season-high 40 points in a game on March 28. In 31 games with Gliwice, he averaged 15.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game.
In July 2018, Quinton joined Vichy-Clermont Métropole, a French team. He started all 34 games that season. He averaged 12.1 points, 3.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game.
In July 2019, Hooker signed with Falco Szombathely, the champions of Hungary. He played in the Basketball Champions League with them. He scored a season-high 20 points in a league win on November 2. Falco was leading the Hungarian League when the season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No champion was named that year.
In July 2020, he signed with Mitteldeutscher in Germany. He averaged 14.0 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. On September 6, 2021, Quinton signed with Bnei Herzliya Basket in Israel. For the 2021–22 season, he averaged 10.8 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. On July 4, 2023, he signed with SIG Strasbourg in France.
Quinton Hooker's Personal Life
Quinton Hooker has two older sisters, Chelsia and Brehana. They were also athletes in high school. His younger brother, Amani Hooker, plays as a safety for the Tennessee Titans in American football.
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
