Former NBA center Kyle O’Quinn has announced his retirement as a player, breaking the news this week to Tina Cervasio of FOX 5 NY (Instagram video link).
As Cervasio relays – and as the school confirms (via Twitter) – O’Quinn has accepted a position at Norfolk State University and will serve as the executive director of athletic advancement for his alma mater.
The 49th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, O’Quinn made 472 regular season appearances from 2012-20 for the Magic, Knicks, Pacers, and Sixers.
The 35-year-old served primarily as a backup center, starting just 65 contests and playing 14.2 minutes per night over the course of his eight-year NBA career. He averaged 5.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 block per game.
Although O’Quinn hasn’t been on an NBA roster since 2020, he remained active overseas in recent years. From 2021-23, he had stints with teams in Turkey, France, Japan, and China.
O’Quinn was a standout at Norfolk State from 2008-12, earning Defensive Player of the Year honors in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference twice and claiming the MEAC Player of the Year award in 2012. He ranked first in the conference in rebounds and blocks per game as both a junior and a senior and led No. 15 Norfolk State to a first-round upset of No. 2 Missouri in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. His No. 10 jersey was retired by the Spartans in 2019.