Basketball star Anfernee Simons joined the Portland Trail Blazers following the 2018 NBA Draft. He was selected by the franchise in the first round of the draft with the 24th overall pick. Before turning pro, Simons was a standout athlete during his school days, finishing as the 2017 Florida State Class 7A player of the year. The talented youngster took a peculiar path to the NBA as he forwent a possible collegiate career and chose to turn professional straight out of high school, thereby charting a new course for other NBA hopefuls.
Bio – Who Is Anfernee Simons?
Anfernee Simons was born on June 8, 1999, in Altamonte Springs, Florida. He was named after retired NBA star and Orlando Magic legend Anfernee Hardaway. He had his first 2 years of high school at Edgewater High School in Orlando, Florida. As a sophomore, he averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1 steal per game in 30 total appearances. He transferred to Montverde Academy in Montverde Florida for his junior year, however, he did not receive much playing time during his stint there.
Simons eventually returned to Edgewater High School for his senior year during which he averaged 23.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.5 blocks per game in 20 games. His outstanding performance helped the school reach the finals of the 2017 FHSAA Boys Basketball State Championships and he was named the 2017 Florida state Class 7A player of the year.
The talented youngster equally played for the United States men’s national Under-19 basketball team in the summer of 2017. Prior to his senior year, Anfernee Simons reclassified backwards to the class of 2018. Consequently, he spent a postgraduate year of high school at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, during which he averaged 22.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
A five-star recruit, Simons was rated as the No.7 player of the high school class of 2018 and made a verbal commitment to have his college career at the University of Louisville. However, he de-committed from the Louisville Cardinals in September 2017 after the institution became the subject of an FBI investigation over a corruption scandal. The talented youngster initially reopened his recruiting and gave considerations to other programs. However, he ultimately chose to bypass college entirely and enter the 2018 NBA Draft.
NBA Career
Going into the NBA, Anfernee Simons was widely regarded as the ‘mystery man’ of the draft, owing to the fact that he had neither played for any college team nor an international professional team. He equally withdrew from both the 2018 Nike Hoop Summit and the Jordan Brand Classic, a move which came as a surprise to many watchers as he was still relatively unknown to most NBA decision-makers at that time. However, he featured on the NBA Draft Combine of 2018 and was projected to be a late first or second-round pick.
On June 21 2018, Anfernee Simons was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft with the 24th overall pick, higher than many mock drafts had projected. He became the first US-born player to be selected in the NBA Draft straight out of high school since 2005 when the league’s age restriction rules came into effect. The talented youngster signed a rookie contract with the franchise in July 2018.
Family, Siblings
Anfernee Simons was born to Tameka and Charles Simons in the suburban city of Altamonte Springs in Seminole County, Florida. His father previously served as the coach of the 9-and-under basketball team of the South Orlando Youth Sports Association (SOYSA). By getting selected in the 2018 NBA draft, Simons became the first player from his alma mater Edgewater High School to join the NBA.
Height And Other Body Measurements
Anfernee Simons is 6 feet 3 inches (193 cm) tall and he has a body weight of 83 kg (183 lb). He has a wingspan of 6′ 9¼” and a standing reach of 8′ 3½”, as per his measurement details at the 2018 NBA Draft Combine. The 2018 NBA draftee still has room for improvement in terms of physical strength, however, he is known to possess the raw talents and skill set required of an efficient offensive player. A multitalented basketball star, Simons exhibits the ball-handling skills of a point guard and the aggressive scoring abilities of a shooting guard.
