O

Quinton McDuffie is a overseas professional basketball player and started his own company McDuffie Management & Consultant Group (MMCG).  McDuffie has played with six different professional teams.  The teams consist of Planeta Universiete in Russia, Gulvi-Alta Montropx in Mongolia, La Gallofa Cantbasket in Spain, Club Parque Sur in Argentina, KK Radnicki Gorazde in Bosnia, and last season B.C Trujillo in Peru averaging 33 points per game.  McDuffie played at Chowan University, a Division II school that doesn’t receive a lot of press or national attention.  Due to agents not wanting to take on clients like McDuffie coming from small colleges, McDuffie launched his company with high hopes of giving underrated athletes an opportunity to achieve their goals of playing basketball at a professional level.  MMCG has signed and secured over 50 professional contracts for college athletes in countries such as Argentina, Mexica, Germany, El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Bosnia, Peru, France, Chile, Australia, and Bolivia.

What inspired you to become a basketball player?

I started off as a football player until I moved to Chicago when I was 8 years old.  I started watching NBA games, seen Allen Iverson playing and instantly wanted to play basketball.  The rest is pretty much history from that moment on.

What is the culture like for basketball players playing overseas compared to the United States?

Depending on the country that you are playing in, the culture could vary.  For some guys it is hard to adjust to the culture change, but for guys like me it was kind of normal because I was so used to moving as a child.  From the food, to the entertainment, to the weather is much different from America.  It can take a toll on players that are not prepared mentally.

What is some advice you would give to younger players hoping to play basketball in college and beyond?

Some advice I would give players looking to pursue a professional career in basketball beyond college.  Would be to take care of your body! Eat well, sleep well, and train well! Dieting is probably the most important thing that you can do to have longevity in the professional ranks.  You must remember that your body is your most important asset in this game and you must take great care of it.

What is your workout schedule like?

My training schedule this offseason consists of yoga in the morning, on court training in the afternoon along with weights and cardio at night.

What are your best and worst memories as a player?

My best memory as a player would have to be the game I scored 41 points and 13 rebounds as a rookie in Mongolia.  I was very hot that game, and my teammates trusted me so they kept feeding me the ball.  My worse memory as a player would probably be when I was headed home from my second professional season in Spain.  I received a call from my mother telling me that my Aunt passed away as I was boarding my flight back to America.

What inspired you to start McDuffie Management & Consultant Group?

To be honest, what inspired me to form my own company was the lack of opportunities that were presented to me after graduating college.  After finishing college, I signed with one of the top agencies in the professional sports business (HSM).  My first agency got me a job in Russia, after I was cut in Russia, I went to play in Mongolia.  Had a great season there, after my season in Mongolia.  No agents wanted to work with me because I came from a small NCAA Division II school.  So I figured I would act as my own agent provide opportunities for myself.  I started working for myself and managed to play 4 more seasons in Spain, Argentina, Bosnia, and Peru.  I noticed that players that were in the same position that I was in looking for opportunities, kept reaching out to me asking me to help them in their careers.  So in 2015, I just decided to turn my knowledge of this business into a legit company so that I could help as many guys as possible.

What’s something interesting about you that most people don’t know?

That I really enjoy reading and watching documentaries.

What do you do for fun when you’re not playing basketball or running your agency?

I really enjoy traveling and spending time with family and friends on my downtime

What are the top three things on your bucket list?

Travel to Japan for the Olympics in 2020. Visit Africa.  Live in Europe or Asia.

If you could go back and pick a different profession, what would you choose?

This is a hard question to answer, but It would probably be a professional baseball player.  My grandfather was a baseball player and his wish was to see his grand kids play baseball.

How can readers keep in contact with you on social media?
Instagram: @quint0n , @mcduffiemanagement.  Facebook: Quinton McDuffie , McDuffie Management and Consultant Group. Email: mcduffiemanagement@gmail.com