With high-school recruiting classes passing us swiftly one by one, you cannot forget about the iconic 2018 class.
Headlined by Duke studs Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish, this class was elite. But the biggest competitor from this class wasn’t Zion or Bol Bol— it was a kid from College Park. Amongst a flurry of superstars switching sides, there’s one name that may be the toughest addition to a Mavericks team fresh off a Finals appearance.
It’s Texas native Quentin Grimes.
The 24-year-old’s story is one that has so many unbelievable twists and turns. Grimes grinded his way to be his high school’s first freshman to start every game on the varsity team. He rose up ranks at a rapid place, acquiring tons of Division I offers and eventually landing himself as a top-20 player in the country.
In November of 2017, Grimes chose to be a Kansas Jayhawk over Kentucky, Texas and Marquette. He wrapped up his senior campaign with averages of 29.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, earning himself the Gatorade Texas Boys Basketball Player of the Year Award and a prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game invite.
Early Signs of Greatness
That summer was massive for Grimes, as he was apart of the under-18 USA FIBA squad that won gold in Canada. He outcompeted everyone in the tournament, putting it all out for the win and being a leader for the team. Bill Self, the head coach of the U18 gold medalists and Kansas, said Grimes was “as complete of a guard that we’ve had.”
Self also mentioned that Grimes had a natural, certain feel for the game and was a dedicated worker. Grimes won MVP of the tournament averaging 14.7 points, four rebounds and three assists— a true indicator of his motivation to win.
In the fall, however, Grimes was abysmal at Kansas.
He averaged a disappointing 8.4 points (38% FG, 34% 3PT, 60% FT), 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Many thought the former top prospect was a lost cause, but he didn’t, as he continued to believe in himself. Grimes transferred to Houston for his sophomore season, and immediately, progress was visible. He averaged 12.1 points and improved his field-goal percentage to 44%.
And year three, was finally his takeoff. In the 2020-21 season, he averaged an impressive 17.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest, knocking down over 40% from behind the arc. He led the Houston Cougars to the first seed in the NCAA Tournament before they fell in the Final Four to the eventual champion Baylor Bears.
Grimes declared for the draft on April 9, 2021, capping off a truly inspiring story. He had come in with so much hype and many expectations set around him as a five-star recruit. He struggled, but persevered and took an alternative route, heading home to Houston. Grimes took his time and eventually struck gold, being one of the most memorable Houston Cougars to ever don the jersey.
Big Apple Bound
With the 25th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, it was the New York Knicks who selected him. The Knicks agreed on a deal to trade for Grimes, a potentially daunting task to be put in a taxing situation with all the lights on him, just like at Kansas. But Grimes gave everything he had to the team, and averaged a respectable 6.0 points and shot 38% from three his rookie year.
It was around summer of 2022 that the Grimes hype grew even larger. That summer, the Knicks were attempting to go all in on bringing superstar Donovan Mitchell to the Big Apple.
But the cost?
A deal would not happen unless Grimes would be sent in exchange to Utah. The Knicks bet on Grimes, and made him untouchable, which left Mitchell to become a Cavalier. Everyone thought New York had made a terrible decision to bet on Grimes, but he proved everyone wrong. He averaged 11 points, three rebounds and two assists, being a valuable 3-&-D role player for the Knicks squad who made the second round.
As the 2023-24 season began, Grimes’ minutes were surprisingly reduced by a significant amount. Grimes struggled severely but Coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t want to help develop the young wing, as Grimes put it, “Every shot I take weighs like 100 pounds, if I don’t make it.”
Frustration grew and he was promptly shipped to Detroit at the deadline. He definitely had his off nights, many times consistently even, but the promise was there. He could contribute to a contender, but it seemed like he needed a change of scenery.
Is Grimes Dallas’ Secret Gem?
On June 28, 2024, Quentin found himself a new, more-familiar home, landing with the Dallas Mavericks. The trade that sent him back to Texas was primarily to create cap space to eventually bring in four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson, but Dallas may have found a diamond in the rough too in Quentin Grimes.
With Josh Green headed to Charlotte, Quentin’s hardworking and passionate attitude for the game will show Dallas he’s ready to help them capture their second NBA championship.
As we’ve seen, his story has been a rollercoaster. He was a top high-school prospect, then had a bad year at Kansas before being a star for Houston. He has gone from being a promising first-round pick, to DNP-CDs, to now being a potential key piece to a championship run. Quentin Grimes has truly done and seen it all.
You can always count on his perseverance. Every time he has been counted out or had bad years, he’s always bounced back even stronger.
So come June, if Dallas is competing for the Larry again, don’t be surprised to potentially see the nitty gritty, dedicated, sharpshooting and defensive wing that is Quentin Grimes— perhaps being a critical factor for who comes out on top.
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