Quentin Grimes, an underrated basketball prodigy, is now writing his own legend with his performances. After a rocky career, the 24-year-old finally found his stage with the Philadelphia 76ers. His story is not only a combination of talent and hard work, but also a rebirth after repeated twists of fate.
From Texas to the NBA: the basketball prodigy from a basketball family
Quentin Grimes was born on May 8, 2000, and grew up in a basketball family. His father, Marshall, was a former college point guard, and his mother, Tonya, was a high school women’s basketball coach. From an early age, Grimes’ life revolved around basketball. At the age of three, he was already practicing with his father on the community court; at the age of five, he was already able to complete a crossover dribble; and in the eighth grade, he even lit up the entire stadium with a “backhand slam dunk”.
In high school, Grimes attended Park High School in The Woodlands and averaged 29.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game during his senior season, leading the team to the state championship and earning him a spot on the McDonald’s All-American team. ESPN ranked him as the 8th best high school player in the country in the 2018 class and predicted that he would go in the lottery of the NBA draft.
However, fate had already planted the seeds of his college choice. Despite the fact that his hometown of Houston was considered a better fit for his offensive talents, he chose Kansas, a basketball powerhouse. There, his talent was stifled, and in his freshman season, he averaged only 8.4 points per game and a shooting percentage of only 38.4%. His draft prospects also plummeted from the lottery all the way to almost being ignored.
Transfer Nirvana: From scoring machine to all-around player
In the summer of 2019, Grimes announced that he would transfer back to his hometown and join the University of Houston. This decision became a turning point in his career. Under the guidance of head coach Kelvin Sampson, he completely reinvented his game.
Sampson is known for his tough defense, and he taught Grimes how to win games through defense. “He made me understand that you don’t need to score 30 points every night to win. A successful block or a crucial rebound can also decide the outcome,” Grimes recalled.
During his two years in Houston, Grimes’s average scoring per game rebounded to 17.8 points, his three-point field goal percentage exceeded 40%, and he led the team to the NCAA Final Four for the first time since 1984. More importantly, he completed his transformation from a ‘scoring machine’ to an ‘all-around player’, skills that would later become fundamental to his foothold in the NBA.
A Song of Ice and Fire in New York
On NBA draft night 2021, Grimes was selected by the New York Knicks with the 25th pick in the first round. Under Tom Thibodeau’s “high-pressure system,” rookies must earn trust through defense. Thibodeau requires Grimes to guard the opposing team’s core players in every game, from Jayson Tatum to Trae Young. This high pressure has forged amazing results.
In the 2022-23 season, Grimes averaged 11.3 points per game, a 38.6% three-point field goal percentage, and a defensive rating that ranked in the top 15% of league guards. However, overuse also took a toll on his body, and a knee injury sidelined him for the 2023 playoffs. Meanwhile, Dante DiVincenzo secured the starting role, and the young Mike Bradley was also on the rise. To make salary room, the Knicks trade Grimes to the Pistons for veteran shooter Bojan Bogdanovic.
The Rangers’ redemption: an explosion with the 76ers
Grimes only plays six games for the Pistons before being traded to the Dallas Mavericks. However, his fortunes took another dramatic turn. In February 2024, the Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison “traded” Grimes to the 76ers two days after sending Luka Dončić to the Lakers, only to get back the injury-plagued Caleb Martin and even throw in a second-round draft pick.
This trade unexpectedly activated Grimes’ potential. Since donning the 76ers uniform, he has averaged 21.4 points per game, twice as much as he did with the Mavericks. Entering March, due to the team’s injury problems, he was given more opportunities, and his average per game statistics soared to 28.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.1 steals, with a shooting percentage of 53.7% and a three-point percentage of 41.3%.
In the game against the Rockets, he even hit 8 of 14 three-pointers, scoring a career-high 46 points and grabbing a personal-best 13 rebounds. His performance not only amazed the fans, but also made the 76ers management re-evaluate his value.
Hard work leads to success: sweat beats luck
Grimes’s explosion was not accidental, but the result of years of hard work. Back in college, he often stayed up late with the assistant coach to study Marcus Smart’s defensive videos. While playing for the Knicks, he was forced to close the training hall by Thibodeau due to overtraining. During the offseason last year, he also studied finishing techniques under “Penny” Hardaway.
“I believe more in sweat than luck,” Grimes said in an interview. It is this unremitting effort that allows him to seize every opportunity and finally shine in critical moments.
The future of the 76ers: a new chapter for Grimes
With Joel Embiid’s injury concerns, Paul George’s aging and Terrance Maxie’s salary cap pressure, the 76ers are at a crossroads in their rebuild. And Grimes’ rise has provided the team with another possibility. His versatility on both offense and defense and his performance in crunch time have allowed the management to start re-planning for the future.
From an underrated talent to the team’s current core, the story of Quentin Grimes is a testament to the importance of perseverance and hard work. No matter what the future holds, he has already earned respect for his performance and continues to write his own legend.
