In a candid moment, former Washington Huskies star Quincy Pondexter reflected on his first game at Alaska Airlines Arena as an opponent. After the USC Trojans defeated the Huskies 85-61 last December, Pondexter, now an assistant coach with USC, admitted, “I had tears in my eyes the whole first half.” Five months later, Pondexter is returning to Montlake for the third time, this time as a special assistant to the head coach.
In a social media post on Friday, Pondexter expressed his excitement, writing, “Dawg Forever!!!” He added in a statement from the University of Washington, “I’m thrilled to be back at Washington. I bleed Purple and Gold and will always be a Husky. I’m deeply grateful to Coach Sprinkle and his staff for welcoming me back home. I committed to the University of Washington in 2005, and that commitment has never wavered.”
A standout 6-foot-7 wing, Pondexter is considered one of the most accomplished players in Washington men’s basketball history. He earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors and was named an Associated Press All-American honorable mention during his career. Pondexter finished his four years at Washington (2006-10) with 1,786 points, ranking fifth on the school’s all-time scoring list. He started three seasons and logged 83 career double-digit scoring games in 136 appearances.
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In his senior season, Pondexter led the Huskies in scoring (19.3 points per game), rebounding (7.4), and free-throw percentage (82.7%). He was instrumental in guiding Washington to the 2010 NCAA Tournament, where his game-winning layup with 1.7 seconds left helped the Huskies defeat No. 6 seed Marquette 80-78 in the first round. Washington went on to beat No. 3 New Mexico 82-64 before falling to No. 2 West Virginia in the Sweet 16. Pondexter was selected 26th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft, and he played seven injury-plagued seasons with four teams, including stints with the New Orleans Hornets and Pelicans, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Chicago Bulls, and the San Antonio Spurs.
In 2020, he returned to Washington as an assistant to former coach Mike Hopkins. After Hopkins’ departure, Pondexter joined USC as part of Eric Musselman’s staff. During his time coaching at UW, Pondexter played a key role in recruiting high-profile players, including standout wing Wesley Yates III, a former Husky who transferred from USC to Washington last month. Coach Danny Sprinkle expressed enthusiasm about Pondexter’s return, stating, “Our program is excited to welcome Quincy back. His Husky pride, commitment, and work ethic will enhance our program and culture, just like he did as a player. He was always known for his relentless work ethic, and that has carried over into his coaching career. I’m excited to work alongside him.”
