Four-star point guard Felipe Quinones says he’s still getting used to basketball culture in the United States, but college coaches are already well aware of his name and skill set.
The IMG Academy guard moved to Florida from Puerto Rico back in 2018, and already holds scholarship offers from schools such as Memphis, Ole Miss and Illinois despite being just a sophomore. Other programs have also inquired with his coach, so Quinones expects a few phone calls when coaches are permitted to speak with 2026 prospects in June.
Rivals recently spoke with Quinones about how the early stage of his recruitment is shaping up and the things that are important to him as he begins to try to choose a school.
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ON PLACES HE WANTS TO VISIT:
“Most of the places that have offered for sure, I just want to go see them. This whole thing is new for me. I’ve never experienced any of it, but this whole recruiting thing is pretty cool.”
ON SCHOOLS HE IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN:
“Baylor has that new facility and I want to check that out for sure, Obviously, Kansas. That’s a big one. Ole Miss, too. I want to go to those three and some others I’ve never been to.”
ON AMERICAN BASKETBALL CULTURE:
“When I moved to the U.S., I had no idea college basketball was this big of a thing. So now I’m getting used to it, but I know them because of how big they are. I know them from when they won the national championship.”
ON HIS FAVORITE TEAMS TO WATCH:
“I like learning about it so I watch a lot of college basketball. I can't tell you the history of any team except for Kansas a little, but I’m having fun watching and learning. We have guys going to Syracuse, Notre Dame and Houston on my (IMG Academy) team, so we watch all of them. We watch everything. It's diverse."
ON WHAT HE IS LOOKING FOR IN A SCHOOL:
“Obviously a coaching staff that builds a relationship. I'm very big on trust. That and a place where I feel like home. I want to feel like I did when I first came to IMG. I don’t want some huge change.”
RIVALS' REACTION
It’s impossible to say which way Quinones’ recruitment will move once he begins to speak with college coaches in June, but schools in the Southeast should be worth watching based on his desire for few “big changes.”
That’s not to say the point guard won't branch out if the right school comes knocking. He seems genuinely intrigued by Kansas and Baylor, both of which are yet to offer. Things will look a bit more clear next year at this time.
