“Quincy Young? Who is he?”

This was the most common response when I submitted my five players to be considered as a nominee for the 2020 Hall Of Fame. When the Ultimate Hoops Hall of Fame launched in 2018, my opportunity to tell the stories of UH legends from yesteryears opened. For every Zach Hamilton, today’s most-talked about new talent, there is a link back to Quincy Young and numerous other players who laid the UH foundation for success back in 2006.

Young played in Ultimate Hoops first game in history on March 30, 2006, finishing with 20 points and eight rebounds. Young led the Cardinals, a free-agent team, to an improbable championship run, losing to the powerful, 9-1 Telex Wood Ticks 70-56 in the finals. Young finished his rookie season averaging 14.2 ppg and 4.8 rebs.

Between 2006 and 2008, no player played in more UH games than Young. He was UH’s first player to surpass the 100 career game mark. After multiple, heart-breaking runner-up finishes, Young’s Mavs 2.0 team finally won their first Ultimate Hoops Championship in Winter Season 2008.

Young’s last game in Ultimate Hoops was May 20th, 2015 as a member of Last Minute, finishing with 11 points and seven rebounds. For his 38-season career, Young averaged 6.2 ppg, 3.8 reb and 1.8 ast.

Forget his on-court numbers, no one could guard Quincy off the court.

Off the court was where Young built his UH brand, long before “building a brand” was a trend. Claiming the moniker “Young Love”, Young produced and hosted Ultimate Hoops first podcast, On The Bench with Young Love. The show was a runaway hit when it dropped in January 2007. League players clamored to be on the show to subject themselves to Young's on-air banter and hot-seat questions.

No topic was off limits. During its six month run, it was riveting entertainment.

Young is also an accomplished musician. He wrote, produced, and performed an original Ultimate Hoops theme song for the intro to his podcast.

In UH’s golden era of 2006-2008, there was no bigger star in Ultimate Hoops than Young. Because of this impact, Quincy was at the top of my Hall of Fame ballot this year as a contributor.

Young’s last on-camera interview was on Feb. 26, 2013. The interviewer was a young upstart and future UH Hall of Famer, Reid Nelson. It was a “passing of the torch” moment for the league, old guard to the new guard. It remains one of my favorite UH videos of all time.

I hope my fellow Hall of Fame voting committee members recognize all past and future Hall of Fame contributors will stand on the shoulders of Young Love.