July 14, 2006

Memphis, Tenn. – Former South Carolina guard Tarence Kinsey has signed a rookie free agent contract with the Memphis Grizzlies as announced by Jerry West, president of basketball operations. Kinsey played four years at South Carolina and averaged 9.8 points along with 3.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.5 steaks in 123 career games. He was a member of back-to-back NIT title teams in 2005 and 2006 and completed his time at Carolina with 1,204 points ranking him 25th on the USC career-scoring list.

“Tarence is a versatile, talented young player,” said West. “He can defend in multiple positions and score in a variety of ways. We are glad to have another player who has an opportunity to make the team.”

Kinsey earned second team All-SEC honors (coaches) in his senior season with the Garnet and Black. He finished as the team’s scoring leader averaging 15.8 ppg with a team-high .453 field goal percentage. Last year he scored in double-figures 29 times and finished with 602 points, the seventh-highest single season scoring total in school history. He scored 21 points in the NIT final victory over Michigan and also posted 21 points in the NIT semi-final vs. Louisville as well as 18 at Cincinnati. His career-high 24 came in a win at Auburn. As a junior, Kinsey averaged 8.9 ppg and hit a game winning three-pointer to defeat St. Joseph’s in the 2005 NIT final.

Kinsey is now playing for the Grizzlies in the Summer Pro-Am League in Long Beach, Calif.