Ex-Maverick, UNC national champion, leaves retirement to sign new professional deal

However, Pinson is unretiring and making his return to professional basketball, as he has signed a deal with Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico. In his first game back on May 19th, he put up 25 points and 9 rebounds, taking the place of DeMarcus Cousins, who was hurt.

It had been over a year since Pinson last played professional basketball, most recently suiting up for the Texas Legends in the 2023-24 season, and he had a great campaign, averaging 15.3 PPG, 7.2 APG, 5.9 RPG, and 1.5 SPG while shooting a career-best 39.9% from three. Pinson thought that the all-around versatility and improved three-point shot would get him another call from the NBA, but those calls never came.

Pinson played 59 games for the Dallas Mavericks, in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, being a part of the team that made the 2022 Western Conference Finals. Although he didn't play much as a guy on the end of the bench, he'll have two lasting legacies in the NBA: going out with a triple-double in his last game (his only NBA start), and being so active on the bench that the NBA essentially had to enact the "Theo Pinson Rule," which essentially states "players during a game must remain seated while the ball is in play, except to react spontaneously to a notable play or report to the scorer's table to check into the game."

Pinson also won a national championship with the North Carolina Tar Heels in 2017, averaging 6.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 3.7 on that championship team as a junior. He'd improve his stats as a senior to 10.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 5.1 APG. He's still a favorite among many Tar Heel fans.