During the 2011-2012 men’s basketball season, the Norfolk State Spartans defeated the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in two final possession contests.  The Spartans immediately followed up their second victory over BCU with a stunning NCAA first round upset over the #3 ranked Missouri Tigers.  NSU’s upset over Missouri not only shocked the sports world, it also introduced college basketball fans around the country to the bright smile, charming personality, and basketball skillset of 6’10”, MEAC Player-of-the-Year Kyle O’Quinn of NSU.

O’Quinn, now a second-round draft pick of the Orlando Magic, recently concluded NBA Summer League action where he averaged 8.8 points per game; 6.2 rebounds, and 55% shooting from the field.  The aforementioned stats were compiled by Bethune-Cookman University Sports Information Staffer, Dan Ryan, who chronicled O’Quinn’s Summer League action with the Orlando Magic.  Dan’s daily updates and interviews were published on NSU Athletics’ website: (http://nsuspartans.com/index.aspx?path=mbball&&tab=1). 

A big, big shout out to Dan Ryan for going well beyond the call of duty and providing an assist to the NSU, Kyle O’Quinn, and HBCU sports fans.  

Although Dan certainly did not have to share any feedback on O’Quinn’s Summer League participation, he stated he did so because he was “just trying to help a brother out“.  He went on to state that it was no big deal since “I was there anyway covering my beloved Utah Jazz.  And I got to interview jeff Hornacek and John Stockton’s kid so that was cool“.

Dan stated: “the things that impressed me were“:

1)O’Quinn immediately looks like he belongs on a NBA roster. He has an NBA body and he has the work ethic.  
2) (O’Quinn) was great with Orlando media, who took to him immediately, maybe because of Dwight Howard backlash, but still…

In addition to O’Quinn, other players BCU went up against were at Summer League including “NCCU’s Dominque Sutton (Orlando), Baylor’s Perry Jones (Oklahoma City), Tennessee Tech’s Kevin Murphy (Utah) and VT’s Malcolm Delaney (Detriot)”.

Be sure to read all of Dan’s Summer League’s notes on O’Quinn at: (http://nsuspartans.com/index.aspx?path=mbball&&tab=1).

Good looking out Dan.  A job well done!