Bobby Simmons

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Bobby Simmons
Bobby Simmons.jpg
Simmons with the Bucks
Personal information
Born (1980-06-02) June 2, 1980 (age 45)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school Simeon (Chicago, Illinois)
College DePaul (1998–2001)
NBA draft 2001: 2nd round, 41st overall pick
Drafted by Seattle SuperSonics
Playing career2001–2012
Position Small forward
Number21, 1
Career history
20012002 Washington Wizards
2002 Mobile Revelers
20022003 Washington Wizards
20032005 Los Angeles Clippers
20052008 Milwaukee Bucks
20082010 New Jersey Nets
2010 San Antonio Spurs
2011–2012 Reno Bighorns
2012 Los Angeles Clippers
Career highlights
Stats at NBA.com  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Stats at Basketball Reference   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing Flag of the United States.svg United States
FIBA Americas U18 Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1998 Puerto Plata Team competition
FIBA U19 World Championship
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1999 Lisbon Team competition

Bobby Simmons (born June 2, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player. During his NBA career, Simmons played for five NBA teams between 2001 and 2012. He won the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2005.

Contents

College career

After graduating from Chicago's Neal F. Simeon High School, Simmons played three years of college basketball for DePaul University. During his three seasons at DePaul, Simmons averaged 13.6 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game and 2.2 assists per game. [1]

Professional career

Washington Wizards (2001–2003)

Simmons was selected in the second round (41st pick overall) of the 2001 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics. Simmons's draft rights were traded to the Washington Wizards for Predrag Drobnjak on June 27, 2001.

Simmons was traded by the Wizards on September 11, 2002, shortly before the start of the 2002–03 NBA season, to the Detroit Pistons with Hubert Davis and Richard Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse, Brian Cardinal, and Ratko Varda. He was released by the Pistons on September 24 and, less than two weeks later, signed with the Wizards again on October 10.

Los Angeles Clippers (2003–2005)

Simmons signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Clippers on September 26, 2003.

The 6 ft 8 in (203 cm), 235 lb (107 kg) small forward had a breakout year during the 2004–05 NBA season with the Los Angeles Clippers in which he averaged a career-high 16.4 points per game. That season, on November 3, Simmons scored a team-leading and career-high 30 points during a win over the Seattle SuperSonics. [2] He was rewarded for his stellar play with that season's NBA Most Improved Player Award.

Milwaukee Bucks (2005–2008)

Simmons signed a free-agent contract with the Milwaukee Bucks on August 8, 2005, shortly after the new collective bargaining agreement was finalized. Since his breakout year with the Clippers, Simmons struggled to reach the same level of play. In his first year with the Bucks, his points, rebounds and shooting percentages all declined. Then in 2006, an ankle injury suffered in training camp during October forced him to miss the entire 2006–07 season. [3] In December of the same year and then January 2007, a surgery to remove bone spurs and surgery to remove a cyst in his foot both complicated his recovery. [4]

New Jersey Nets (2008–2010)

Simmons was traded along with Yi Jianlian to the New Jersey Nets for Richard Jefferson on June 26, 2008, just a few hours before that year's NBA draft. [5] While his season was not as productive as before, he still managed to finish 5th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage.

San Antonio Spurs (2010)

In September 2010, Simmons signed with the San Antonio Spurs; however, the team waived him in November after he went scoreless in 2 games played. [6]

Reno Bighorns (2011–2012)

In March 2011, Simmons signed with the Reno Bighorns of the NBA D-League. [7]

Return to the Clippers (2012)

On February 27, 2012, the Los Angeles Clippers signed Simmons to a 10-day contract. [8] On March 9, 2012, he signed a second 10-day contract with the Clippers. [9] He signed a contract for the rest of the season on March 24, 2012. [10] Simmons' final NBA game was Game 4 of the 2012 Western Conference Semi-Finals against the San Antonino Spurs on May 20, 2012. In his final game, Simmons recorded 2 points on 25% FG shooting in 6 and half minutes of playing time. This was the end of the Clippers' season as they lost Game 4 99 - 102 and thus were swept by the Spurs.

In December 2012, Simmons said that he was still interested in playing professional basketball. [11]

Off the court

Simmons and Lavelle Sykes founded a Chicago clothing store called Succezz. Simmons also owns a nightclub in Chicago called Society. [12]

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2001–02 Washington 30311.4.453.286.7331.7.6.4.23.7
2002–03 Washington 36210.5.393.000.9142.1.6.3.13.3
2003–04 L.A. Clippers 56824.6.394.167.8344.71.7.9.37.8
2004–05 L.A. Clippers 757437.3.466.435.8465.92.71.4.216.4
2005–06 Milwaukee 757433.8.453.420.8254.42.31.1.313.4
2007–08 Milwaukee 702121.7.421.351.7573.21.1.7.17.6
2008–09 New Jersey 714424.4.449.447.7413.91.3.7.17.8
2009–10 New Jersey 23217.2.359.317.9002.7.7.7.15.3
2010–11 San Antonio 208.0.000.000.000.01.0.0.0.0
2011–12 L.A. Clippers 28014.9.311.333.5712.0.4.5.12.9
Career46622824.7.437.396.8233.81.5.8.29.0

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2006 Milwaukee 5531.8.333.417.0003.62.01.8.26.6
2012 L.A. Clippers 418.0.556.250.000.3.0.0.02.8
Career9621.1.373.375.0002.11.11.0.14.9

References

  1. "Bobby Simmons Statistics- Basketball Reference.com".
  2. Clips score most lopsided opening win
  3. Bucks' Simmons has ankle surgery
  4. Bucks forward Simmons has cyst in heel bone repaired
  5. "ESPN – Nets agree to trade Jefferson to Bucks for Yi, Simmons". ESPN.com. June 26, 2008. Retrieved June 26, 2008.
  6. "Spurs Sign Chris Quinn, Waive Simmons". NBA.com. November 5, 2010. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  7. Bobby Simmons To Join NBA D-League's Reno Bighorns On Wednesday
  8. "BOBBY SIMMONS SIGNED TO 10-DAY CONTRACT". NBA.com. February 27, 2012. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
  9. "BOBBY SIMMONS SIGNED TO SECOND 10-DAY CONTRACT". NBA.com. March 9, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  10. "BOBBY SIMMONS RE-SIGNED BY CLIPPERS". NBA.com. March 24, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  11. Kane, Colleen (December 11, 2012). "Catching up with Bobby Simmons: Not ready to give up". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  12. March Madness legend: Bobby Simmons