Pondexter was a third round pick of the Boston Celtics in the 1974 NBA draft, but played his professional career in Europe and South America.

[2] Pondexter and his younger brother, Cliff, emerged as a dominant duo while playing at San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, California.

[5] He was named to the first-team All-Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) after he averaged 14.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game during his sophomore season.

[7] During his junior year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) accused Pondexter and teammate Glenn McDonald of having someone else take their entrance exams and declared them ineligible.

[7][9] They cited the financial need of their family as their reason for applying; Pondexter went against the recommendation of Long Beach State head coach Lute Olson that he stay in college.

[9] After his prison guard career ended, Pondexter earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the California State University, Fresno, and worked as an assistant in the athletic department.

[9][16] Pondexter encouraged Quincy to play college basketball for all four years and told him: "I'm not going to let you make the dumb mistake that I made.