Former NBA center and HBCU basketball legend Kyle O’Quinn has officially retired from professional basketball and returned to his alma mater, Norfolk State University, as the executive director of athletic advancement. The 35-year-old announced his retirement on April 12, 2025, bringing to a close a career that spanned eight NBA seasons and several international stints.
“Being back at the university means a lot to me and my family,” said O’Quinn in an interview with Forbes. “Going through this transition of retirement, [it’s] not the easiest thing to do, but my university is definitely helping in those efforts. From the hiring process to bringing me on board [and] to my relocating. My family’s understanding [that] I’m relocating, but not for basketball this time. I think that, once again, my university is serving in the space of my life that only they can.
“[I’m] lucky to be back, grateful to be back, love being there every day, love being, going to tennis matches, softball games, and baseball games. All the sports that our university provides and just being that piece that helps turn the page at the university for, potentially, the next Kyle O’Quinn, and many others.”
HBCU to NBA
O’Quinn’s basketball journey began in Jamaica, New York, and led him to Norfolk State, where he played from 2008 to 2012. He became the first player in MEAC history to win the conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. O’Quinn was also named the nation’s mid-major Player of the Year while guiding the Spartans to their first-ever MEAC title and NCAA Tournament appearance.
15-seed Norfolk State University went on to pull off one of the most memorable upsets in NCAA Tournament history as the HBCU knocked off No. 2 seed, Missouri. In that game, O’Quinn delivered a dominant performance with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Propelling Norfolk State to a historic 86–84 victory and marking the most memorable HBCU hoops upset in tournament history.
Following his standout college career, O’Quinn was selected 49th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. Over eight NBA seasons, he played for the Magic, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, and Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 5.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game across 472 regular-season appearances. After his NBA tenure, O’Quinn continued his professional career overseas, with stints in Turkey, France, Japan, and China.
Executive Director of Athletic Advancement
In his new role at Norfolk State, O’Quinn aims to leverage his professional experiences to advance the HBCU athletic program. He expressed his commitment to giving back to the institution that played a pivotal role in his development. “In this role, I would love to leave my mark, knowing that I helped people navigate the newness of basketball,” O’Quinn told Bobby Krivitsky of Forbes. “When I say that, the game is changing, [it’s] still the same formula, but you have to change things a little bit.
“And then, just having my input on making sure that Norfolk State University stays at a level of being competitive nationwide with the NIL, transfer portals, and things like that. Letting donors and all our resources understand what this newness looks like. But also giving them a flashback of what my time looked like. What we went through, and how it has changed. And using cross-references to make it make sense to people that really care and really want to be a part of the Norfolk State University brand. With that being said, just being that voice in between the university, athletics, and people that want to be a part of it.”
Kyle O’Quinn’s return to Norfolk State is a full-circle moment in HBCU basketball. As O’Quinn transitions from an NBA player to a leadership role within an HBCU athletic department, his dedication to fostering growth and excellence at Norfolk State highlights the lasting connections that can form within the HBCU community.