Tag: clemson basketball

Simms opens up to TCI about his NBA future

Clemson standout Aamir Simms’ NBA dreams became reality on Friday when he signed with the Knicks as an undrafted free agent. Simms earned All-ACC honors twice as a Tiger with second-team honors in 2019-20 and third team honors this past season. He …

Clemson standout Aamir Simms’ NBA dreams became reality on Friday when he signed with the Knicks as an undrafted free agent.

Simms earned All-ACC honors twice as a Tiger with second-team honors in 2019-20 and third team honors this past season. He also served as an ambassador for the program and Clemson community as whole in his four seasons in orange and white.

The Clemson Insider spoke with Simms about his deal with New York and reflected on his time in Tiger Town.

“It’s a blessing to be in the position I am today,” Simms said. “I’m thankful for the Knicks for giving me the opportunity to prove that I belong in this league and can make immediate impact! I’m really eager to get to work in continue to develop at a high level with high level players and coaches.”

Simms asserted himself in elite company during his time in Littlejohn Coliseum. He was the fourth player in program history to record 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 150 assists, 75 steals and 75 blocks in his career and joined Clemson legends Trevor Booker, Horace Grant and Larry Nance who all went on to successful NBA careers.

He finished 34th all-time in Clemson history in scoring with 1,133 points and was the 15th Tiger to score 1,000 points and pull down 600 rebounds.

Simms felt his time on the hardwood for head coach Brad Brownell prepared him for this moment and an NBA future.

“Clemson put me in a position to adapt quickly to stressful environments, develop an IQ and skillset that translates to the modern day NBA,” Simms said.

But the things Simms will miss most about Clemson is the family environment and realtionships with his teammates.

Simms excelled off the court as well and became the second Tiger to win the Skip Prosser Award for the nations top scholar athlete in men’s basketball when he received the reward earlier this year. He joined former Clemson standout Cliff Hammonds who won the award in 2008.

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Clemson standout signs with NBA team

Clemson University men’s basketball’s Aamir Simms has signed an undrafted free agent contract with the New York Knicks. Details of the contract have not been announced. Simms was a two-time All-ACC player after receiving third-team recognition in …

Clemson University men’s basketball’s Aamir Simms has signed an undrafted free agent contract with the New York Knicks. Details of the contract have not been announced.

Simms was a two-time All-ACC player after receiving third-team recognition in 2019-20 and second-team honors in 2020-21. Simms was the only player in the league to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists and is doing so for the second consecutive season. It has only been done six times previously in ACC history.

The Palmyra, Va., senior tied his career high of 25 points twice last season, including in wins at Miami (Jan. 2) and against Georgia Tech at home (Feb. 12). He netted double figures in 14 games last season and has amassed three double-doubles.

Simms became just the fourth player in Clemson history to amass 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 150 assists, 75 steals and 75 blocks in a career – joining Trevor Booker, Horace Grant and Larry Nance. He surpassed 1,000 career points and finished 34th all-time in Clemson history with 1,122 points. He is just the 15th player in Clemson history to amass totals of 1,000 points and 600 rebounds in a career. He finished 20th all-time in rebounding with 636.

He was named to the Top 10 of the Karl Malone Award, which recognizes the nation’s best power forward. Simms also earned a spot on the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award Watch List, which included just 14 other players.

Simms was named the recipient of the 2021 “Skip” Prosser Award, emblematic of the top scholar-athlete in men’s basketball. Simms was a three-time member of the All-ACC Academic Basketball team. The Palmyra, Va., senior carried a 3.25 GPA with a major in sport communications, including a 3.60 GPA in the Fall of 2019 and earning Dean’s List honors in the Fall of 2020. He completed two, for-credit internships with the non-profit US Play Coalition.

Simms is Clemson’s second honoree of the Skip Prosser Award. Cliff Hammonds won the inaugural award back in 2008.

–Courtesy Clemson Athletic Communications

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ACC’s new commissioner feels frustrations of his coaches

Few have described what life is like for student-athletes in the transfer portal better than new ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips. “I liken it to a game of musical chairs,” he said last Wednesday at the ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte. “That is what …

Few have described what life is like for student-athletes in the transfer portal better than new ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips.

“I liken it to a game of musical chairs,” he said last Wednesday at the ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte. “That is what worries me is when the music stops and there are not enough chairs. There are no seats. There are not enough scholarships for those in the transfer portal.”

And that is exactly what is going on. When the music stops, thousands of student-athletes are left stuck in the transfer portal without a new school.

Since last August, when the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility for all student-athletes that play fall sports due to the pandemic, more than 2,500 FBS players—hundreds from the ACC—entered the transfer portal, and not all of them have found a new home.

Men’s basketball is even worse. Thanks to the new one-year transfer rule, which effects football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball, the transfer portal was flooded after the 2020-’21 basketball season was completed.

As of June 27, the NCAA had 1,788 Division I men’s basketball players in the transfer portal. Division I, Division II and Division III combined have 2,867 men’s basketball players in the portal. The Clemson Insider was told the majority of these players will not sign with anyone and will lose their ability to attend college on a basketball scholarship.

“We are working through it, as a league,” Phillips said. “Understanding what it looks like in the different sports. As mentioned, in the 27 sports, there is a different flow into the transfer experience. Some of our sports that are really at a higher percentage of student-athletes transferring than at some other Olympic sport.”

Phillips said he and the conference support the student-athletes freedom of movement, but he understands, as a former coach himself, the frustration of the coaches in the league who are having to recruit around the chaos that has become the transfer portal.

At the ACC’s spring meetings in May, it was one of the hot topics brought to the table by not only the men’s basketball coaches, but by the women’s coaches and the football coaches as well.

“I know, as a former coach very early in my career, how difficult that can be when it comes to rosters, when it comes to roster management, when it comes to maybe life lessons when things get tough. You just can’t bounce out and go somewhere else,” the Commissioner said. “I don’t think we have enough data yet to declare one way or another how we help this thing. But I think it goes back to recruiting and doing the very best job that we can to identify the prospects that fit our institutions.

“So, there is more work to come on that, and again, I feel the coaches’ frustration. It is real. But in the end, it was the right thing to do for our student-athletes.”

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Texas makes final three for Illinois State transfer Dusan Mahorcic

Illinois State transfer Dusan Mahorcic released his top three schools on Monday. Clemson, Texas, and Utah are the three schools involved.

Chris Beard has a decision to make regarding big men on his roster. Jericho Sims is hanging in the balance, still deciding whether or not he wants to go into the NBA. July 7 is the final day he can opt-out and return to Texas.

Until then, the Longhorns need to keep their options open in the transfer portal. Waiting around for Sims to make his decision could prove to be detrimental. If Sims decides to leave, other names in the portal could be snatched up.

Illinois State transfer Dusan Mahorcic could be the route Texas takes. The 6-foot-10, 230-pound big man released his top three schools on Monday. Clemson and Utah are the other two schools involved.

Mahorcic transferred to Illinois State from Moberly Community College for the 2020-2021 season. In 22 games, he averaged 9.9 points and 7.2 rebounds. The Serbian’s best performance of the season came early on against Ball State, recording a 14 point and 13 rebound double-double while shooting 70% from the floor.

Sims’ decision will impact not only Mahorcic’s transfer destination but how the starting lineup looks. Vanderbilt transfer Dylan Disu is another option at the five.

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Notre Dame Slight Road Dog Today at Clemson

Sunday evening presents a very realistic chance at a fourth straight as Mike Brey’s Fighting Irish squad will be at Clemson.

Notre Dame basketball has taken advantage of a break in the schedule a bit and been playing better, winning their last three ACC contests.

Sunday evening presents a very realistic chance at a fourth straight as Mike Brey’s Fighting Irish squad will be at Clemson.

As of early Sunday afternoon, Notre Dame is a very slight underdog as they visit the Tigers with Clemson being favored by 1.5 points and the over/under being set at 137.5.

Odds via BetMGM. Access USATODAY Sports Betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated February 9 at 12:10 p.m. ET.

Notre Dame enters plays 14-8 overall, 5-6 in the ACC and 2-4 on the road. Clemson starts today 11-11 with a 5-7 ACC clip and 9-4 home mark.

Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now at BetMGM.

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