Theo Pinson

Theo Pinson's Biography

Theophilus Alphonso Pinson, born on the 5th of November in 1995, is renowned for his significant contributions to the game of basketball. Being an accomplished professional player in the United States, his career is quite distinguished. His last tenure was with the Texas Legends of the NBA G League, but his journey started from his college years.

Playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Pinson showcased his talent on the courts. Standing at 6 ft 7 in, his niche was a swingman position. As a shooting guard, he exhibited exceptional skills and played a pivotal role in leading the Tar Heels to victory in the 2017 NCAA championship. But it’s crucial to glance back into his early years to understand his path to success.

Pinson was born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina. His first stint with basketball was at Oak Ridge Military Academy as a freshman. Yet, the turning point was his transfer to the towering Wesleyan Christian Academy, situated in nearby High Point. Under the guidance of his coach, Keith Gatlin, and with Harry Giles III, a future NBA player, he matured and grew exponentially. In his senior year, his skills were internationally recognised and he was named a McDonald’s All-American.

In 2011, during the summer, Pinson was selected for the USA Basketball U16 team, bagging another gold medal. This victory was shared with his future teammate from the Tar Heels, Justin Jackson.

Though Pinson’s college career started with hurdles, with multiple injuries starting from a broken fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot, which led him to miss 14 games of his freshman season, his sophomore season was free from injuries. Unable to remain untouched by injuries, he faced another setback as he broke his right foot, which resulted in missing the first 16 games of his junior season.

However, despite these setbacks, Pinson’s remarkable defensive strategies, impressive passes, and leadership became a core driving factor behind the Tar Heels’ repeat performances at the National Championship Title Games. Known for his jovial and carefree personality, he played his part in maintaining high-spirits in the locker room. His knack for pranks and humorous interactions with media was loved by his peers and teammates.

During the 2017 Championship run of Tar Heels, Pinson displayed his playmaking skills when it mattered the most. His memorable full-court drive and a spectacular pass set up the game-winning shot by forward Luke Maye, helping the team win against Kentucky in the South Regional Final. In his senior year, he exhibited consistent performance by averaging 10.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 29.7 minutes per game.

Despite proving his worth, Pinson went undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft, but he persevered. He joined the Brooklyn Nets for the 2018 NBA Summer League, where his performance was nothing short of remarkable. He posted 11.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game in five summer league games. The summer league stint led to a training camp contract with the Nets, and soon the Nets committed a two-way contract for the 2018–19 season, and Pinson got to showcase his skills on the big stage.

October 20, 2018, marked the date of Pinson’s NBA debut. He scored two points, caught a rebound and dealt two assists in a game against the Indiana Pacers. His stint, though brief at six and half minutes, was impactful. On April 10, 2019, what started as a two-way deal transformed into a full NBA contract.

On April 15, Pinson made his postseason debut scoring nine points, further showcasing his talent. July 8, 2019, The Nets re-signed Pinson to a two-year contract, proving their faith in his skills after a brief scare when they rescinded their qualifying offer to him on July 6. By December 2019, Pinson’s role with the Nets was increasing due to an unfortunate Achilles injury to David Nwaba. He played remarkable games including scoring 32 points, grabbing nine rebounds, three assists and two steals in a G League match.

However, on the 23rd of June, Pinson was waived off from the Nets. Undeterred, he was claimed off waivers by the New York Knicks on June 26, 2020. But in a twist of events, The Knicks announced in November 2020 that they did not wish to exercise the team option on Pinson, making him a free agent. He was, however, re-signed onto a two-way contract with the Westchester Knicks towards the end of November.

In 2021, Pinson joined the Milwaukee Bucks for the Summer League and in September, he signed with the Boston Celtics but was waived off at the end of the training camp. Yet, he persevered and signed with the Maine Celtics as an affiliate player by the end of October. He played consistently, averaging 16.4 points, 4.4 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game.

Following his success with the Maine Celtics, Pinson signed a 10-day contract with the Dallas Mavericks on December 20, 2021. He extended his stay with a second 10-day contract, and on January 10, 2022, he signed a significant two-way contract with the Mavericks. On July 1, 2022, he extended his tenure with the Mavericks for another year. In the last game of the 2022-23 season, Pinson hit another milestone recording his first triple-double in an NBA game in a 117–138 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. After a brief stint as a free agent, he re-joined the Texas Legends on October 29, 2023.

Throughout his career, Theophilus Alphonso Pinson has been a persistent, talented, and dedicated professional basketball player, and his journey reflects this tenacity and passion for the game.