KJ Simpson

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = KJ Simpson

| image = KJ_Simpson_buzzer_beating_three_pointer.jpg

| caption = Simpson with Colorado in 2024

| position = Point guard

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 189

| league = NBA

| team = Charlotte Hornets

| number = 25

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|8|8}}

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| high_school = Chaminade College Prep
(Los Angeles, California)

| college = Colorado (2021–2024)

| draft_year = 2024

| draft_round = 2

| draft_pick = 42

| draft_team = Charlotte Hornets

| career_start = 2024

| years1 = {{nbay|2024|start}}–present

| team1 = Charlotte Hornets

| years2 = 2024–present

| team2 = →Greensboro Swarm

| highlights = * First-team All-Pac-12 (2024)

Second-team All-Pac-12 (2023)
Pac-12 All-Freshman Team (2022)

}}

Kenneth "KJ" Simpson Jr. (born August 8, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes.

Early life and high school career

Simpson grew up in Panorama City, Los Angeles and attended Chaminade College Preparatory School.{{Cite web |last=Fattal |first=Tarek |date=November 11, 2020 |title=Signing Day: Chaminade's KJ Simpson, Keith Higgins accomplish childhood dream together |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2020/11/11/signing-day-chaminades-kj-simpson-keith-higgins-accomplish-childhood-dream-together/ |access-date=January 11, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Daily News}} He was rated a four-star recruit and initially committed to playing college basketball for Arizona.{{cite web |last=Pascoe |first=Bruce |date=August 15, 2020 |title=Four-star guard K.J. Simpson commits to Arizona Wildcats |url=https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/basketball/pascoe/four-star-guard-k-j-simpson-commits-to-arizona-wildcats/article_52436614-df42-11ea-9d40-cf3c32cc1c49.html |access-date=January 11, 2024 |work=Arizona Daily Star}} After Arizona head coach Sean Miller was fired, Simpson requested and was granted a release from his National Letter of Intent and reopened his recruitment.{{cite web |last=Pascoe |first=Bruce |date=April 19, 2021 |title=Arizona signee KJ Simpson to look elsewhere after receiving release from letter-of-intent |url=https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/basketball/pascoe/arizona-signee-kj-simpson-to-look-elsewhere-after-receiving-release-from-letter-of-intent/article_9d07118a-a17c-11eb-9cd3-cb19e0300a48.html |access-date=January 11, 2024 |work=Arizona Daily Star}} He ultimately signed to play at Colorado.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/k-j-simpson-commitment-university-colorado-boulder-buffaloes/|title=Four-Star Recruit K.J. Simpson Gives Commitment To CU Buffs|website=CBS News Colorado|date=April 28, 2021|access-date=January 11, 2024}}

College career

Simpson was named to the Pac-12 Conference All-Freshman team during his first season playing for the Colorado Buffaloes after averaging 7.4 points per game and also leading the team in total assists and steals.{{cite web |last=Rooney |first=Pat |date=October 24, 2022 |title=CU Buffs' Tristan da Silva, KJ Simpson earn Pac-12 MBB preseason all-conference honors |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2022/10/24/tristan-da-silva-kj-simpson-earn-pac-12-mbb-preseason-all-conference-honors/ |access-date=January 11, 2024 |work=The Denver Post}} He was named second-team All-Pac-12 after averaging 15.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game as a sophomore.{{cite web |last=Sarles |first=Jesse |date=October 26, 2023 |title=4 basketball players in Colorado make CBS Sports list of nation's best men's college hoopers |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/college-basketball-players-colorado-rankings-cbs-sports-list-best-mens/ |access-date=January 11, 2024 |website=CBS News Colorado}}

As a junior, Simpson was named to the first-team All-Pac-12, averaging a team-high 19.7 points per game and shooting 43% from three-point range this season.{{cite web |author=camellis |date=March 12, 2024 |title=Colorado's KJ Simpson named to first team All Pac-12 |url=https://www.ralphiereport.com/2024/3/12/24099127/colorados-kj-simpson-named-to-first-team-all-pac-12 |access-date=March 22, 2024 |website=ralphiereport.com}} In the first round of the 2024 NCAA tournament against No. 7 Florida, Simpson hit a game-winning jumper with less than two seconds left to secure a 102–100 victory.{{cite web |last=Owens |first=Jason |date=March 22, 2024 |title=March Madness: No. 10 Colorado holds for 102-100 thriller over Florida on late KJ Simpson game winner |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/march-madness-no-10-colorado-holds-for-102-100-thriller-over-florida-on-late-kj-simpson-game-winner-230913474.html? |access-date=March 22, 2024 |website=Yahoo Sports}}

Professional career

=Charlotte Hornets (2024–present)=

On June 27, 2024, Simpson was selected with the 42nd overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2024 NBA draft.{{cite web |last=Williams |first=Cameron |date=June 27, 2024 |title=KJ Simpson's undersized, not undermotivated |url=https://www.thecharlottepost.com/news/2024/06/28/hornets/kj-simpson-s-undersized-not-undermotivated/ |access-date=June 28, 2024 |work=The Charlotte Post}} On July 7, 2024, Simpson signed a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets.{{cite web |date=July 7, 2024 |title=Charlotte Hornets Sign KJ Simpson To Two-Way Contract |url=https://www.nba.com/hornets/news/charlotte-hornets-sign-kj-simpson-to-two-way-contract |access-date=July 8, 2024 |website=NBA.com}}