Aamir Simms Explained

Aamir Simms
Position:Power forward
Height Ft:6
Height In:8
Weight Lbs:245
League:LBA
Team:Reyer Venezia
Number:25
Birth Date:17 February 1999
Birth Place:East Orange, New Jersey
Nationality:American
High School:
College:Clemson (2017–2021)
Draft Year:2021
Career Start:2021
Years1:2021–2022
Team1:Westchester Knicks
Years2:2022–2023
Team2:Paris Basketball
Years3:2023
Team3:Denver Nuggets Summer League
Years4:2023–present
Team4:Reyer Venezia Mestre
Highlights:
  • Second-team All-ACC (2021)
  • Third-team All-ACC (2020)

Aamir Earl Simms (born February 17, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for Reyer Venezia Mestre of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He played college basketball for the Clemson Tigers.

Early life and high school career

Simms spent his early childhood in East Orange, New Jersey, but moved to Palmyra, Virginia, in 2008 after his mother, Lateasha Jones, decided East Orange was too dangerous. He spent hours on the basketball court near the family's home, often playing deep into the night.[1] He scored 377 points as a freshman at Fluvanna County High School.[2] At an AAU Tournament, his performance drew the attention of Cade Lemcke, coach at the Blue Ridge School, and Simms decided to attend the school after receiving a scholarship.[1] He helped the team win a state championship as a sophomore.[2] As a senior at Blue Ridge, Simms averaged 13.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.[3] He helped the team win a second state title, contributing 16 points and 10 rebounds in the championship game against Miller. He was named the Central Virginia Player of the Year.[2] He committed to playing college basketball at Clemson over offers from more than a dozen schools.[1]

College career

Simms averaged 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game as a freshman.[4] He helped Clemson reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Kansas, 80–76.[5] As a sophomore, Simms averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.[6] On November 5, 2019, Simms had his first double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds in a 67–60 loss to Virginia Tech.[7] He was named ACC Co-Player of the Week (alongside Tre Jones) on January 13, 2020, after leading Clemson in points (20), rebounds (8), assists (6), blocks (4) and steals (3) in Clemson's first-ever win at North Carolina, and hit a three-pointer with 3.5 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime.[8] On January 14, Simms scored a career-high 25 points to go along with nine rebounds in a 79–72 win over third-ranked Duke.[9] As a junior, he averaged 13.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, earning Third Team All-ACC honors. Following the season, he declared for the 2020 NBA draft.[10] He withdrew from the draft on June 1, returning for his senior season.[11] He averaged 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, winning Second Team All-ACC honors. He declared for the 2021 NBA draft and hired an agent, forgoing his final season of eligibility granted by the NCAA as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]

Professional career

After being undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, Simms joined the New York Knicks for the 2021 NBA Summer League and averaged 3.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. On August 19, 2021, he signed with the Knicks.[13] However, he was waived on October 16.[14] In October 2021, he joined the Westchester Knicks as an affiliate player.[15] He averaged 11.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. On July 29, 2022, he signed with Paris Basketball of the LNB Pro A.[16]

On July 19, 2023, he signed with Reyer Venezia Mestre of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).[17]

National team career

Simms was a part of the Clemson team chosen to represent the United States in the 2019 Summer Universiade in Italy. The US received a gold medal after defeating Ukraine in the title game behind 12 points from Simms.[18] He played in all six games and led the team in scoring and rebounding with 15.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.[19]

Career statistics

College

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18| style="text-align:left;"| Clemson| 34 || 12 || 15.4 || .473 || .326 || .577 || 3.2 || .6 || .2 || .9 || 4.0|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19| style="text-align:left;"| Clemson| 34 || 34 || 26.6 || .441 || .331 || .750 || 4.6 || 1.0 || .6 || .7 || 8.1|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20| style="text-align:left;"| Clemson| 30 || 30 || 31.6 || .474 || .400 || .705 || 7.2 || 2.6 || 1.0 || .8 || 13.0|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21| style="text-align:left;"| Clemson| 24 || 24 || 29.7 || .532 || .400 || .825 || 6.4 || 2.7 || .9 || .7 || 13.4|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 122 || 100 || 25.3 || .481 || .362 || .730 || 5.2 || 1.6 || .7 || .8 || 9.2

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Needelman . Joshua . Clemson basketball star sees himself in young fan from same hometown in rural Virginia . May 1, 2020 . . February 15, 2019.
  2. News: Counts . Ron . Central Virginia boys basketball player of the year: Blue Ridge's Aamir Simms . May 1, 2020 . . April 1, 2017.
  3. Web site: Gordon . Mark . 2017-18 Clemson Basketball Season Preview: Frontcourt Analysis . Shakin the Southland . . May 1, 2020 . November 6, 2017.
  4. Web site: Crumpton . Tony . Clemson forward makes incredible full-court shot . TigerNet . May 1, 2020 . June 21, 2018.
  5. News: Raynor . Grace . Clemson basketball hangs with Kansas, falls 80–76 in Sweet 16 to end historic season . May 1, 2020 . . March 23, 2018.
  6. News: Simms set for big season at Clemson . May 1, 2020 . CBS 19 News . October 20, 2019.
  7. News: Horne, Nolley lead Virginia Tech to 67–60 win at Clemson . May 1, 2020 . . . November 5, 2019.
  8. Web site: Jones, Simms, Nolley Earn ACC Men's Basketball Weekly Honors . . May 1, 2020 . January 13, 2020.
  9. News: Clemson gets rare ACC double in 79–72 win over No. 3 Duke . May 1, 2020 . . . January 14, 2020.
  10. News: Shiers . Mike . Former Blue Ridge star Aamir Simms enters NBA Draft . May 1, 2020 . NBC29 . March 31, 2020.
  11. News: Clemson leading scorer Aamir Simms returning for senior year . June 2, 2020 . . . June 1, 2020.
  12. News: Senkiw . Brad . Aamir Simms Enters NBA Draft, Ends Clemson Career . June 20, 2021 . . May 1, 2021.
  13. Web site: Knicks Sign Aamir Simms. NBA. August 19, 2021. August 20, 2021.
  14. Web site: Knicks Waive Brandon Knight, Aamir Simms and M.J. Walker. NBA. October 16, 2021. October 23, 2021.
  15. Web site: Westchester Knicks Announce Training Camp Roster . NBA . November 1, 2021 . October 25, 2021.
  16. Web site: Paris Basketball lands Aamir Simms . Sportando . August 2, 2022 . July 30, 2022.
  17. Web site: Colpo Umana Reyer: firmato Aamir Simms!. July 19, 2023. reyer.it. it. August 29, 2023.
  18. News: Clemson basketball takes home the gold for the United States at the World University Games . May 1, 2020 . NCAA . July 12, 2019.
  19. Web site: Hood . Nikki . Clemson's Simms proud to wear the USA flag after gold medal win . TigerNet . May 1, 2020 . July 14, 2019.