As the Los Angeles Lakers gear up for their regular-season opener against the Denver Nuggets on October 24, they’ve made a significant addition to their roster by signing former Golden State Warriors guard, Quinndary Weatherspoon.
Before being drafted in the 2019 NBA Draft, this 6-foot-3 guard showcased his talents during four seasons of college basketball at Mississippi State University. Throughout his collegiate career, he consistently contributed as a scorer and rebounder, maintaining averages of over 12 points and 4.5 rebounds per game during his tenure with the Bulldogs.
Weatherspoon’s most outstanding college season was during his senior year in 2018-19, where he put up impressive stats. The 27-year-old guard averaged 18.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in all 34 games he played for the Bulldogs, all of which he started. He displayed exceptional shooting, making 50.8 percent of his field goals, 39.6 percent of his 3-pointers, and 80.9 percent of his free throws.
In the 2019 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected Weatherspoon as the 49th overall pick. Over the course of two seasons and 31 regular-season games with the Spurs, Weatherspoon averaged 1.9 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game, despite never earning a start.
Following his time with the Spurs, Weatherspoon joined the Golden State Warriors in the 2021-22 season. He participated in 11 regular-season games for the team, where he averaged 2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game.
Notably, Weatherspoon did not see any playing time during the Warriors’ victorious 2022 playoff campaign. The Warriors secured the championship by defeating the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and the Boston Celtics in the four playoff series that year.
Unfortunately, Weatherspoon has remained without an NBA team since the Warriors released him in October 2022.
Considering the Lakers’ existing depth at the guard positions, Weatherspoon’s chances of significant playing time in the 2023-24 regular season appear slim. The Lakers boast talent in the guard spots with players like Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, and 2023 first-round draft pick Jalen Hood-Schifino.
The Lakers aim to wrap up the preseason with a respectable 3-3 record when they face off against star player Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.