Yesterday, the Naismith Hall of Fame nominated Memphis fifth-year senior guard Jahvon Quinerly to the preseason Bob Cousy Award Watch List. The award goes to the top point guard in college basketball.
Quinerly was one of 20 names on the list. The 2024 Cousy Award Watch List includes Marquette guard Tyler Kolek, Duke guard Tyrese Proctor, and Kansas guard Dajuan Harris Jr., among others.
Past Winners
Memphis does not have a past winner of the Bob Cousy Award. Last season, Kansas State point guard Markquis Nowell won the Cousy Award. He averaged 17.6 PPG and 8.3 APG for the Wildcats.
Other past winners include current Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (2019), former Michigan guard Trey Burke (2013), and former UConn guard Kemba Walker (2011).
Quinerly’s nomination marks the second consecutive preseason that a Tiger guard earned recognition on the watch list. In the 2022 off-season, SMU transfer guard Kendric Davis was nominated. He went on to average 21.9 PPG and 5.4 APG in his lone season with Memphis. Davis helped lead the Tigers to an AAC Championship win over Houston.
Taking a Leap
The Cousy Award watch list sees what many Memphis fans and others around the nation do: Quinerly will take a leap in production in a higher-usage role for the Tigers this season.
The Alabama transfer averaged 8.7 points and 3.6 assists per game in 21.1 minutes for the Crimson Tide during the 2022-23 season. Quinerly dealt with an inconsistent role throughout his three seasons with Alabama. He started seven games in his sophomore year, 27 in his junior year, and six in his senior season.
While roster construction played a big part in his changing role, injuries also had a significant impact. The most notable of these injuries came in the Round of 64 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Just minutes into the Crimson Tide’s contest against Notre Dame, Quinerly suffered an ACL tear.
Going into his final collegiate season with Memphis, however, Quinerly is now fully healthy. The talented guard will have the keys to Penny Hardaway’s offense handed to him. He’ll also play with a collection of talented pieces around him. These include Caleb Mills, Jaykwon Walton, David Jones, and Jordan Brown. Quinerly’s connection with the Lousiana transfer Brown, in particular, projects to be a significant part of the Tiger offense this season.
Quinerly’s Talent
Quinerly, a former five-star recruit, has the talent to capitalize on an increased role. A fully healthy Quinerly has the athleticism to get by defenders in isolation and consistently get paint touches. In this area, he’s shown the prowess to make plays for himself and his teammates. This is a skill that will prove crucial for Memphis’ primary playmaker. Furthermore, Quinerly has the clutch gene, something he routinely put on display when he won the 2021 SEC Tournament MVP with big-time performances.
Memphis’ success this season will largely depend upon Quinerly’s ability to run the offense effectively and overcome the bouts of inconsistency he’s dealt with throughout his career. If he can do so, there’s no limit to the ceiling of the Tigers in 2023-24.
