Quinones Could Become Shandong Men’s Basketball Team’s Third Foreign Player

After Shandong Hi-Speed Men’s Basketball Team announced the signing of Banton, the anticipated candidate for the team’s third foreign player has gradually emerged. Lester Quinones, who briefly played for Qingdao Men’s Basketball Team last season, is expected to become Shandong’s third foreign player, joining Faye and Banton in a push for the championship. Lester Quinones is a 27-year-old Dominican professional basketball player, standing 1.91 meters tall and primarily playing as a shooting guard. In 2022, he went undrafted in the NBA Draft, but after an impressive performance in the Summer League, he signed a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors. During his two seasons with the Warriors, he showed strong performances and also won the NBA G League Most Improved Player award for the 2022-23 season. In 2024, he signed contracts with the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans respectively.

In international competition, Quinones represented the Dominican Republic national team at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and helped the team make a historic run to the Round of 16. Although he only played two regular-season games and two playoff games for Qingdao last season, resulting in a relatively small sample size, his scoring ability was already evident. In his two regular-season games, he averaged 22.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals per game. In the game against Beijing Shougang, he came off the bench and played about 28 minutes, recording 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, displaying strong ability to attack off the dribble and create offensive threats.

Quinones’ expected arrival is projected to bring new energy to Shandong Men’s Basketball Team and strengthen the team’s backcourt. Fans will look forward to the exciting performances he and his teammates bring in the upcoming season.