Everyone knows Mrs. Nitrease Quickley, one of our assisant principals here at Bel Air. Some may not know, however, that her son, Immanuel Quickley, is a point guard for the New York Knicks! This week, we wanted to shine a light on Quickley, considering he was a small-town athlete, just like some of you. We asked him a total of five questions about his career and life, ranging from high school all the way to professional basketball.  

Q: How did you get into basketball?  

Immanuel started basketball at the early age of four. His earliest memories are of his mom and aunt coaching him. 

Q: How has your transition from college to professional affected you?  

Many would think that a transition from college to professional would be difficult. However, Quickley said, “Transition has been a lot smoother than others, I came from a college that was similar to the NBA game already with style of play, treatment, travel, and food which were very similar in college, so the transition was a lot easier.” He also touched based on how the transition has affected him: “I think it has affected me for the better, but they are a lot different than each other. In college, everyone is together. You go out to eat together, have classes together and you practice together. The NBA is a lot different. Some players have families, married, are young, and each player has a different level of experience.” 

Q: What has your career taught you?  

Immanuel’s career in the NBA has taught him a lot of valuable lessons. But one stands out the most: “It’s how hard people work over the years that separates them. Some might say that they had a hard day today and I may say I had a hard day as well. But I could think that my year has been a harder grind than their year, or harder grind than their decade and that’s what separates good basketball players from great ones. And along with any other field, it’s how hard you work over years, not just hours or days.” 

Q: Has your family life been affected in any way?  

Just like anyone, family life has changed for Quickley: “Absolutely. College was crazier. I got to see my family sometimes one day a week for home games, but other than that you see them for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, even though I did see them one Thanksgiving while I was at Kentucky. After that you don’t really see them until March madness is over, and it was different from coming home from high school where you come home to your parents after every game and every single day. Now since we play a lot more in the NBA, I see them a lot more. I did not see them last Christmas. Instead I spent the time with my teammates. A lot has changed with family life, but I try to call them as much as possible.” 

Q: What advice would you give to a student athlete who wants to go pro one day? 

Quickley has a routine he wants to share that has always worked for him: “Trusting and believing in God, working hard for an extended period is all you can really do at the end of day, and everything else will take care of itself. Make sure you are working on the right stuff. For example, you don’t want to only work on 3-point shots if you aren’t going to be shooting 3’s in the game. Work hard, stay committed, and be patient.”