In 2008, Tinsley led the Pioneers to state runner-up as a senior. He averaged 25 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and three steals during the season. Tinsley also won the Oregon Player of the Year[1] as well as the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Oregon[2] in his last season at Oregon City High School. He finished second in all-time leading scoring for "big schools" and fourth overall in the state of Oregon.[3] First on that list is Cleveland Cavalierspower forwardKevin Love.[4] In December 2007, his squad was the runner-up at the Les Schwab Invitational.[5]
Tinsley was a first-team all-league selection in all four years of high school and was all-state in his junior and senior seasons. He also lettered four times in basketball and baseball and lettered twice in football.[3]
Tinsley played four-years of college basketball for the Vanderbilt Commodores from 2008 to 2012. As a senior, he played and started in all 36 games, averaging 9.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.[3]
Tinsley became the first Commodore to record a triple-double. On November 12, 2010, Tinsley finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.[10]
Tinsley went undrafted in the 2012 NBA draft. In July 2012, he signed with EiffelTowers den Bosch of the Netherlands for the 2012–13 season.[11] However, he later left EiffelTowers due to an ankle injury.
In December 2012, he signed with Okapi Aalstar of Belgium for the rest of the season.[12] On January 31, 2013, he left Okapi after just seven games.[13] On February 5, 2013, he signed with Saint-Vallier Basket Drôme of the French LNB Pro B for the rest of the season.[14][15]
He briefly played for BC Vytautas in the 2017–2018 season, but left in December. He joined BV Chemnitz of the German Pro A and averaged 9.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. On July 5, 2018, Tinsley signed with A.S. Junior Pallacanestro Casale of the Italian Serie A2,[21] but he returned to FC Porto soon after, joining the Portuguese side in February 2019.[22]
