Aamir Simms

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Aamir Simms

| image = Aamir Simms.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Simms in March 2020

| position = Power forward

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 8

| weight_lbs = 245

| league = LBA

| team = Reyer Venezia

| number = 25

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|2|17}}

| birth_place = East Orange, New Jersey, U.S.

| 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–present

| team3 = Reyer Venezia Mestre

| highlights =

Second-team All-ACC (2021)
Third-team All-ACC (2020)

| medal_templates =

{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}

}}

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.{{cite news |last=Needelman |first=Joshua |title=Clemson basketball star sees himself in young fan from same hometown in rural Virginia |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/clemson/clemson-basketball-star-sees-himself-in-young-fan-from-same-hometown-in-rural-virginia/article_d589c0ca-4ceb-11ea-95dd-a3bf2c28cef9.html |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |work=Charleston Post and Courier |date=February 15, 2019}} He scored 377 points as a freshman at Fluvanna County High School.{{cite news |last=Counts |first=Ron |title=Central Virginia boys basketball player of the year: Blue Ridge's Aamir Simms |url=https://www.dailyprogress.com/sports/high-school/central-virginia-boys-basketball-player-of-the-year-blue-ridge/article_ae073182-a5e5-5084-a3d9-c0a64e52f270.html |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |work=The Daily Progress |date=April 1, 2017}} 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. He helped the team win a state championship as a sophomore. As a senior at Blue Ridge, Simms averaged 13.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.{{cite web |last=Gordon |first=Mark |title=2017-18 Clemson Basketball Season Preview: Frontcourt Analysis |url=https://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2017/11/6/16611052/2017-18-clemson-basketball-season-preview-frontcourt-analysis |website=Shakin the Southland |publisher=SB Nation |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |date=November 6, 2017}} 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. He committed to playing college basketball at Clemson over offers from more than a dozen schools.

College career

Simms averaged 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game as a freshman.{{cite web |last=Crumpton |first=Tony |title=Clemson forward makes incredible full-court shot |url=https://www.tigernet.com/update/WATCH-Clemson-forward-makes-incredible-full-court-shot-30222 |website=TigerNet |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |date=June 21, 2018}} He helped Clemson reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Kansas, 80–76.{{cite news |last=Raynor |first=Grace |title=Clemson basketball hangs with Kansas, falls 80–76 in Sweet 16 to end historic season |url=https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/clemson-basketball-hangs-with-kansas-falls-80-76-in-sweet-16-to-end-historic-season/article_883a9a78-2eda-11e8-9068-b363877ab643.html |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |work=Charleston Post and Courier |date=March 23, 2018}} As a sophomore, Simms averaged 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.{{cite news |title=Simms set for big season at Clemson |url=https://www.cbs19news.com/story/41465717/simms-set-for-big-season-at-clemson |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |work=CBS 19 News |date=October 20, 2019}} On November 5, 2019, Simms had his first double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds in a 67–60 loss to Virginia Tech.{{cite news |title=Horne, Nolley lead Virginia Tech to 67–60 win at Clemson |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401168154 |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=November 5, 2019}} 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.{{cite web |title=Jones, Simms, Nolley Earn ACC Men's Basketball Weekly Honors |url=https://theacc.com/news/2020/1/13/athlete-awards-jones-simms-nolley-earn-acc-mens-basketball-weekly-honors.aspx |website=Atlantic Coast Conference |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |date=January 13, 2020}} 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.{{cite news |title=Clemson gets rare ACC double in 79–72 win over No. 3 Duke |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401168358 |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=January 14, 2020}} 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.{{cite news |last=Shiers |first=Mike |title=Former Blue Ridge star Aamir Simms enters NBA Draft |url=https://www.nbc29.com/2020/04/01/former-blue-ridge-star-aamir-simms-enters-nba-draft/ |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |work=NBC29 |date=March 31, 2020}} He withdrew from the draft on June 1, returning for his senior season.{{cite news |title=Clemson leading scorer Aamir Simms returning for senior year |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/29252821/clemson-leading-scorer-aamir-simms-returning-senior-year |accessdate=June 2, 2020 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=June 1, 2020}} 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.{{cite news |last=Senkiw |first=Brad |title=Aamir Simms Enters NBA Draft, Ends Clemson Career |url=https://www.si.com/college/clemson/mens-basketball/aamir-simms-enters-nba-draft-ends-clemson-career |access-date=June 20, 2021 |work=Sports Illustrated |date=May 1, 2021}}

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.{{cite web|title=Knicks Sign Aamir Simms|url=https://www.nba.com/knicks/front-office-news/knicks-sign-aamir-simms|publisher=NBA|date=August 19, 2021|access-date=August 20, 2021}} However, he was waived on October 16.{{cite web|title=Knicks Waive Brandon Knight, Aamir Simms and M.J. Walker|url=https://www.nba.com/knicks/front-office-news/knicks-waive-brandon-knight-aamir-simms-and-mj-walker|publisher=NBA|date=October 16, 2021|access-date=October 23, 2021}} In October 2021, he joined the Westchester Knicks as an affiliate player.{{cite web |title=Westchester Knicks Announce Training Camp Roster |url=https://westchester.gleague.nba.com/news/westchester-knicks-announce-training-camp-roster/ |publisher=NBA |access-date=November 1, 2021 |date=October 25, 2021}} 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.{{cite web |title=Paris Basketball lands Aamir Simms |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/paris-basketball-lands-aamir-simms/ |website=Sportando |access-date=August 2, 2022 |date=July 30, 2022}}

On July 19, 2023, he signed with Reyer Venezia Mestre of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).{{Cite web|url=https://www.reyer.it/news/maschile/2023-07-19/colpo-umana-reyer-firmato-aamir-simms/|title=Colpo Umana Reyer: firmato Aamir Simms!|last=|first=|date=July 19, 2023|website=reyer.it|publisher=|language=it|access-date=August 29, 2023}}

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.{{cite news |title=Clemson basketball takes home the gold for the United States at the World University Games |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2019-07-11/clemson-basketball-takes-home-gold-united-states-world |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |publisher=NCAA |date=July 12, 2019}} He played in all six games and led the team in scoring and rebounding with 15.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.{{cite web |last=Hood |first=Nikki |title=Clemson's Simms proud to wear the USA flag after gold medal win |url=https://www.tigernet.com/story/Clemsons-Simms-proud-to-wear-the-USA-flag-after-gold-medal-win-17975 |website=TigerNet |accessdate=May 1, 2020 |date=July 14, 2019}}