Dave Simmons (basketball, born 1963)

Last updated

Dave Simmons
Personal information
Born (1963-04-13) April 13, 1963 (age 60)
NationalityAmerican
Listed height205 cm (6 ft 9 in)
Listed weight112 kg (247 lb)
Career information
High schoolSouth Bronx (Bronx, New York)
College
NBA draft 1987: undrafted
Playing career1989–2001
Position Power forward / center
Number25
Coaching career2003–2005
Career history
As player:
1989–1996 Melbourne Tigers
1994 Westchester Stallions
1997 Newcastle Falcons
1998 Sydney Kings
1998–1999Newcastle Falcons
1999–2001 Canberra Cannons
As coach:
2003 Hunter Pirates (assistant)
2003–2004Hunter Pirates (interim)
2004–2005Hunter Pirates (assistant)
Career highlights and awards

David Simmons (born April 13, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He was named an NBL All-Star and won an NBL championship with the Melbourne Tigers, who retired his No. 25. He also had a two-year coaching stint with the Hunter Pirates. Simmons is the father of National Basketball Association (NBA) player Ben Simmons.

Contents

High school and college

A New York City native, Simmons attended South Bronx High School in The Bronx [1] before playing college basketball in the state of Oklahoma. He first joined Oklahoma Baptist in 1981, but left after one season after struggling academically. [2] He resurfaced at El Reno Junior College (now called Redlands) the next season and averaged 20 points a game, before returning to Oklahoma Baptist for the 1984–85 season. [2]

Simmons transferred to Oklahoma City in 1985 and sat out the season. He went on to average 12 points per game during the 1986–87 season. [2]

Professional career

After graduating from Oklahoma City and moving around Central and South America for a short while, Simmons signed with the Melbourne Tigers of the Australian National Basketball League in 1989. [3] He and fellow American Dave Colbert were fan favorites in Melbourne as they brought immediate success to a booming franchise. In his first NBL game, Simmons scored 28 points against the Hobart Devils. He backed this up with a 25-point, 15-rebound effort against the Eastside Melbourne Spectres the next night. He went on to score 30 or more points seven times in his debut season, including a 40-point performance against the Brisbane Bullets on August 20. To conclude a successful season, Simmons, Colbert and Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze helped the Tigers reach the NBL post-season for the first time in club history. Simmons continued to play with the Tigers through the early 1990s, earning All-Star honors in his second season and helped the Tigers win the NBL championship in 1993. [4]

In the spring of 1994, Simmons joined the Westchester Stallions of the United States Basketball League before returning to the Melbourne Tigers for the 1994 NBL season. Simmons was considered the ultimate team man as he adjusted his play to suit his role every season. However, following the conclusion of the 1996 season, the Tigers parted ways with Simmons as they wanted change with an import who could provide more offence than what they felt Simmons could give the team. Simmons subsequently joined the Newcastle Falcons in 1997 but managed just one season with the club. He joined the Sydney Kings a month into the 1998 season, but his stint did not last long, as he left the club after appearing in just six games. [5]

In December 1998, Simmons returned to the Newcastle Falcons, signing with the club for the rest of the 1998–99 NBL season as a replacement for sacked import Todd Mundt. [6] [7] Following the conclusion of the NBL season, he joined the Rockhampton Rockets for the 1999 QBL season. [6]

In September 1999, Simmons signed with the Canberra Cannons as a naturalized Australian to replace injured import Clayton Ritter. [6] He played two seasons for the Cannons but finished his career on a sour note when he was released by the club with six games to go in the 2000–01 season due to off court issues that were not disclosed to the public. [4]

Coaching career

In 2003, Simmons was hired by the Hunter Pirates as an assistant coach for the 2003–04 NBL season. However, in December 2003, he took over the head coaching job on an interim basis after the club controversially sacked Bruce Palmer just months into the Pirates' debut season. [8] He returned to an assistant coaching role for the 2004–05 season after the club hired legendary Australian coach Dr. Adrian Hurley.

Personal life

Simmons is an African American who became a naturalized Australian citizen. [9] [6] He and his wife Julie, a white Australian, [9] have two children: daughter Olivia and son Ben. [10] He also has four step-children: Melissa, Emily, Liam and Sean; Emily is the wife of NFL player Michael Bush. [11] His long-time friend, David Patrick, is the godfather of his son Ben. Patrick was an assistant coach at Louisiana State University (LSU) during Ben's lone season there. [12] Ben Simmons was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Basketball League (Australia)</span> The pre-eminent professional mens basketball competition in Australasia

The National Basketball League (NBL) is a men's professional basketball league in Australasia, currently composed of 10 teams: 9 in Australia and 1 in New Zealand. It is the premier professional men's basketball league in Australia and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Gaze</span> Australian basketball player (born 1965)

Andrew Barry Casson Gaze is an Australian former professional basketball player and coach. He played 22 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL) with the Melbourne Tigers from 1984 to 2005, winning the league's MVP award seven times and winning the scoring title 14 times. He also guided the Tigers to two NBL championships, in 1993 and 1997, and was named an All-NBL First Team member for a record 15 consecutive years. Gaze has been described as one of the greatest players Australia has ever produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canberra Cannons</span> Defunct basketball team from Canberra, Australia

The Canberra Cannons are a defunct basketball team that competed in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL). They went into financial administration in 2003 and were relocated to Newcastle, where they became the Hunter Pirates. After this venture also folded the team was relocated to Singapore and played as the Singapore Slingers for the 2006/07 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melbourne United</span> Australian basketball team

Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Heal</span> Australian basketball player

Shane Douglas Heal is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelaide 36ers</span> Australian professional basketball team

The Adelaide 36ers are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). The 36ers are the only team in the league representing the state of South Australia and are based in the state's capital of Adelaide. The club was originally called the Adelaide City Eagles when they joined the NBL in 1982, but changed their name to the 36ers the following year. The 36ers nickname comes from the fact that the Colony of South Australia was officially proclaimed on 28 December 1836. Since 2019, the 36ers play their home games at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Christopher John Anstey is an Australian former professional basketball player. His career included stints in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Russia and Spain. Anstey was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1997 NBA draft. He also played for the Melbourne Tigers, South East Melbourne Magic and Victoria Titans in the NBL. He retired at the end of the 2009–10 season while with the Tigers and later became the team's head coach in 2012.

Mark Robert Bradtke is an Australian retired professional basketball player who played mainly in Australia's National Basketball League, but also had a single stint in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996–97. As well as his outstanding play, Bradtke was known in the early part of his NBL career for his mullet haircut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Dragons</span> Defunct professional basketball team from Melbourne, Australia

The South Dragons were an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL). They made their debut in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09. The club was based at MSAC in Melbourne's inner south-eastern suburbs, and was one of the city's two NBL teams; the other was the Melbourne Tigers, which entered the league in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore Slingers</span> Professional basketball team in Kallang, Singapore

The Singapore Slingers are a Singaporean professional basketball team that last competed in the ASEAN Basketball League. The Slingers were known as the JobStreet.com Singapore Slingers between 2009 and 2014, due to sponsorship ties with JobStreet.com.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C. J. Bruton</span> American-Australian basketball player

Calvin Thomas "C. J." Bruton Jr. is an American-Australian professional basketball coach and former player. He played the majority of his career in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) where he won six league championships and was a five-time All-NBL Team selection. Bruton played for numerous NBL teams over his career: Perth Wildcats, Brisbane Bullets, Wollongong Hawks, Canberra Cannons, Sydney Kings and New Zealand Breakers.

Brett Wheeler is a former professional basketball player in the National Basketball League. A 6'10" (208 cm) tall Centre or Power forward, Wheeler played for the Adelaide 36ers, South East Melbourne Magic, Victoria Titans, Perth Wildcats and the Sydney Kings during his 17 year career, appearing in a record 8 NBL Grand Finals and won the 2003–04 and 2004–05 NBL championship with the Kings. He also represented Australia at international level during his career.

David Thomas is a Canadian former professional basketball player who played eight seasons in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for Michigan State University and has represented Canada in international competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broadmeadow Basketball Stadium</span> Indoor basketball stadium

The Broadmeadow Basketball Stadium, also known as the Newcastle Basketball Stadium, is an indoor basketball stadium located in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia and was the original home of the Newcastle Falcons of the National Basketball League from the origin of the league in 1979 until they moved to the newly built Newcastle Entertainment Centre in 1992. The stadium is currently the home of the Newcastle Basketball Association and can hold approximately 2,200 spectators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Goulding</span> Australian basketball player

Christopher James Goulding is an Australian professional basketball player for Melbourne United of the National Basketball League (NBL). He made his debut in the NBL in 2006 as a development player with the Brisbane Bullets, going on to play for the Perth Wildcats and Gold Coast Blaze, before settling in Melbourne. In the NBL, Goulding is a three-time championship winner and a two-time All-NBL First Team honouree. He also won the league's scoring title in 2014 and claimed Grand Final MVP honours in 2018. Goulding is a regular with the Australian Boomers, but he also holds a British passport thanks to his father, which allowed him to play as a local in Spain and Italy between 2014 and 2016.

Al Green is an American-Australian former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for three different colleges and was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 1979. He arrived in Australia in 1981 and had a successful career in the National Basketball League (NBL) until his retirement in 1993. He won two NBL championships in 1982 and 1984, and was the NBL Most Valuable Player in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Simmons</span> Australian basketball player (born 1996)

Benjamin David Simmons is an Australian professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one season with the LSU Tigers, after which he was named a consensus first-team All-American and the USBWA National Freshman of the Year. Simmons was selected with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. After sitting out a year due to an injured right foot, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2018 and was selected three times to the NBA All-Star Game. As the result of a holdout from the 76ers following the 2020–21 season, which led him to be traded to the Nets, Simmons is the most-fined player in NBA history, in terms of total financial loss.

Scott Ninnis is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player who is the current head coach of the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League (NBL). He won three NBL championships during his career: 1986 and 1998 with the 36ers and 1992 with the South East Melbourne Magic. He coached the 36ers for two years and was an assistant coach with the club when they won the 1998–99 and 2001–02 NBL championships. He returned to the 36ers' coaching staff in 2023 as an assistant and was appointed as interim head coach midway through the 2023–24 season.

The 1997 NBL season was the 14th season for the Melbourne Tigers in the Australian-based National Basketball League. The club won its first NBL Championship after defeating the Perth Wildcats 2-1 in the Grand Final series in 1993. In 1996, the Tigers lost to cross town rival South East Melbourne Magic in the Grand Final series 1-2. A year later, they won for the second time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Giddey</span> Australian basketball player (born 2002)

Joshua James Giddey is an Australian professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Thunder with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft. Giddey is the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, having done so at 19 years, 84 days old. He also became the first player since Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson in 1961 to record three consecutive triple-doubles as a rookie.

References

  1. ↑ Lawlor, Christopher. "Pangos All-American Camp". BlueStarMedia.org. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Tramel, Berry (January 26, 2016). "How Oklahoma paved the way for LSU phenom Ben Simmons". oklahoman.com. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021.
  3. ↑ Rosetta, Randy (July 24, 2014). "Ben Simmons' connection to LSU remains rock-solid after an explosive summer". NOLA.com. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Dave Simmons – NBL Wiki". AndTheFoul.net. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Player statistics for David Simmons – 1998 season". FoxSportPulse.com. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Roach, Stewart (September 23, 1999). "Paths Cross As Careers Take Off". VictoriaCross.com.au. Archived from the original on March 4, 2015. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Player statistics for David Simmons – 1998/99 season". FoxSportPulse.com. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Pirates blasted over sacking". TheAge.com.au. December 5, 2003. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  9. 1 2 "Ben Simmons takes shot as movie mogul with documentary about racism in Australia". PhillyVoice. October 8, 2019.
  10. ↑ Auerbach, Nicole (June 19, 2015). "LSU's versatile Ben Simmons has a natural position: Star". USAToday.com. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  11. ↑ O'Neil, Dana (November 5, 2015). "From Melbourne to Baton Rouge, Ben Simmons has arrived at LSU". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  12. ↑ Ward, Roy (June 5, 2014). "Australian Boomers teen Ben Simmons on track for the NBA". SMH.com.au. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Sixers select Ben Simmons with No. 1 overall pick in NBA draft". NBC Sports Philadelphia. June 23, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.