Former Memphis Tiger Jahvon Quinerly announces retirement from basketball

One of the stars from last season’s Memphis basketball team will not continue his playing career.

Jahvon Quinerly, who spent just one year at Memphis, announced his retirement on social media Friday. He averaged 13.5 points and 4.9 assists per game in 2023-24.

”I made the decision to let go of the game of basketball, which has greatly shaped who I am since I remember,” Quinerly wrote on Instagram. “This game has opened up a plethora of doors for me and for that I will be forever grateful, but God has chosen a different path for me.”

Quinerly experienced a myriad of success throughout his five-year college career. A 5-star prospect in the Class of 2018, the Hackensack, New Jersey native initially enrolled at Villanova before transferring to Alabama.

Quinerly immediately starred for Nate Oats’ club after sitting the 2019-20 season due to NCAA transfer rules, helping the Crimson Tide reach the Sweet 16 in 2021 and 2023. The 6-foot-1 guard, despite tearing his ACL in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, put up 11.7 points and 3.7 assists per contest in three years at Alabama.

But Quinerly somberly implied that success was marred by his lone campaign under Penny Hardaway in his statement. The 25-year-old was harshly criticized by Memphis fans and media alike for his inconsistent play and poor effort at times throughout last season.

“Even while I’ve accomplished some incredible things, had priceless experiences, and formed friendships for life, on the other side of that I’ve experienced some of my lowest moments,” Quinerly wrote. “And as much as it pains me to type this, I can’t continue this fight with something I am no longer in love with.”

Quinerly and Memphis started last year 15-2 and achieved a No. 10 ranking in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 on Jan. 10. But the Tigers quickly collapsed afterwards, winning just seven of their last 15 games and finishing No. 5 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC).

Quinerly recorded just 8 points and 3 assists on 3-of-15 shooting in Memphis’ upset loss to Wichita State in the AAC Tournament, which proved to be the final game of his playing career.

”To the majority, I will always be remembered as a failure. But while that may be the case in basketball, they say the greatest successes in life often emerge from the most difficult setbacks. I am fortunate to have earned over 7 figures in NIL while playing college ball and am quite eager to take advantage of the head start that has given me,” Quinerly wrote. “And to have the opportunity to discover more about this incredible world and all it has to offer. And to be able to identify myself as someone other than a basketball player for the first time.

“I apologize to those I have let down and will always be grateful to those who have had faith in me. However, I’m taking a different route now, one that should provide me happiness and the ability to love myself again.”