KJ Simpson

Last updated
KJ Simpson
KJ Simpson buzzer beating three pointer.jpg
Simpson with Colorado in 2024
No. 25–Charlotte Hornets
Position Point guard
League NBA
Personal information
Born (2002-08-08) August 8, 2002 (age 22)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight189 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school Chaminade College Prep
(Los Angeles, California)
College Colorado (2021–2024)
NBA draft 2024: 2nd round, 42nd overall pick
Selected by the Charlotte Hornets
Playing career2024–present
Career history
2024–present Charlotte Hornets
2024–present→Greensboro Swarm
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Stats at Basketball Reference  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

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.

Contents

Early life and high school career

Simpson grew up in Panorama City, Los Angeles and attended Chaminade College Preparatory School. [1] He was rated a four-star recruit and initially committed to playing college basketball for Arizona. [2] 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. [3] He ultimately signed to play at Colorado. [4]

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. [5] 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. [6]

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. [7] 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. [8]

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. [9] On July 7, 2024, Simpson signed a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets. [10]

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

College

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2021–22 Colorado 32121.3.377.254.7702.52.7.8.17.4
2022–23 Colorado 292831.8.396.276.8174.33.81.5.215.9
2023–24 Colorado 373735.1.475.434.8765.84.91.6.119.7
Career986629.6.429.347.8344.33.91.3.114.6

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team in Colorado

The Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team represents the University of Colorado Boulder. The team competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Tad Boyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noah Vonleh</span> American basketball player (born 1995)

Noah Vonleh is an American professional basketball player for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">André Roberson</span> American basketball player (born 1991)

André Lee Roberson is an American professional basketball player for LDLC ASVEL of the LNB Élite (LNB) and Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes. As a junior in 2013, Roberson earned first-team all-conference honors in the Pac-12 for the second time, and was also named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He was selected in the first round of the 2013 NBA draft with the 26th overall pick. He was acquired by the Oklahoma City Thunder in a draft night trade. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spencer Dinwiddie</span> American basketball player (born 1993)

Spencer Gray Dinwiddie is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes and earned first-team all-conference honors in the Pac-12 as a sophomore in 2013. He missed most of his junior year after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Dinwiddie recovered and was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft. After two seasons with the Pistons, he joined the Brooklyn Nets in December 2016 and played with them until being traded to the Washington Wizards in 2021. In February 2022, Dinwiddie was traded to the Dallas Mavericks and in 2023, he was traded back to the Brooklyn Nets and was traded to the Toronto Raptors the following year in February 2024 before being immediately waived by Toronto. He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for the remainder of the season in a bench role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Welsh (basketball)</span> American basketball player (born 1996)

Thomas Welsh is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. As a senior in 2017–18, Welsh earned second-team all-conference honors in the Pac-12. He was selected by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 2018 NBA draft with the 58th overall pick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrick White</span> American basketball player (born 1994)

Derrick Richard White is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Buffalo," White played three years of college basketball in Division II for the Colorado–Colorado Springs Mountain Lions before transferring to Division I's Colorado Buffaloes for his final year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kobi Simmons</span> American basketball player

Kobi Jordan Simmons is an American professional basketball player for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George King (basketball, born 1994)</span> American basketball player (born 1994)

George McZavier King Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Blackwater Bossing of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes, earning second-team all-conference honors in the Pac-12 as a senior in 2018. He was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the 2018 NBA draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Franks (basketball)</span> American basketball player

Robert Christopher Franks Jr. is an American professional basketball player for Ibaraki Robots of the B.League. He played college basketball for the Washington State Cougars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler Bey</span> American basketball player (born 1998)

Tyler Tarik Bey is an American professional basketball playing for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League (ISBL). He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McKinley Wright IV</span> American basketball player

McKinley Wright IV is an American professional basketball player for Budućnost VOLI of the Erste Liga and ABA League. He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jabari Walker</span> American basketball player (born 2002)

Jabari Dominic Walker is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the son of Samaki Walker. He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes. He was named first-team All-Pac-12 as a sophomore with Colorado.

Amari Bailey is an American professional basketball player for the Long Island Nets of the NBA G League. In high school, he was selected as a McDonald's All-American and California Mr. Basketball. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, earning all-freshman honors in the Pac-12 Conference in his only season. He was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evan Battey</span> American basketball player

Evan Earl Battey is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant basketball coach at the University of Colorado. He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes. He was named second-team All-Pac-12 as a senior in 2022.

Terrell Brown Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Shoreline CC Dolphins, Seattle Redhawks, Arizona Wildcats, and Washington Huskies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalen Terry</span> American basketball player (born 2002)

Dalen Lee Terry is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA), drafted as the 18th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. As a sophomore in 2022, he was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cody Williams</span> American basketball player (born 2004)

Cody Leron Williams is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tristan da Silva</span> German basketball player (born 2001)

Tristan da Silva is a German-Brazilian basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024–25 Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team</span> Colorado Basketball team

The 2024–25 Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball team represents the University of Colorado Boulder in the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They are led by head coach Tad Boyle in his fifteenth season at Colorado. The Buffaloes play their home games at CU Events Center in Boulder, Colorado, in their first season as members of the Big 12 Conference since 2011, after they rejoined the conference in August 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaylyn Sherrod</span> American basketball player (born 2001)

Jaylyn Sherrod is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes.

References

  1. ↑ Fattal, Tarek (November 11, 2020). "Signing Day: Chaminade's KJ Simpson, Keith Higgins accomplish childhood dream together". Los Angeles Daily News . Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Four-star guard K.J. Simpson commits to Arizona Wildcats". Arizona Daily Star . August 15, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Arizona signee KJ Simpson to look elsewhere after receiving release from letter-of-intent". Arizona Daily Star . April 19, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Four-Star Recruit K.J. Simpson Gives Commitment To CU Buffs". CBS News Colorado . April 28, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  5. ↑ "CU Buffs' Tristan da Silva, KJ Simpson earn Pac-12 MBB preseason all-conference honors". The Denver Post . October 24, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  6. ↑ Sarles, Jesse (October 26, 2023). "4 basketball players in Colorado make CBS Sports list of nation's best men's college hoopers". CBS News Colorado . Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  7. ↑ camellis. "Colorado's KJ Simpson named to first team All Pac-12". ralphiereport.com. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  8. ↑ Owens, Jason. "March Madness: No. 10 Colorado holds for 102-100 thriller over Florida on late KJ Simpson game winner". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  9. ↑ Williams, Cameron (June 27, 2024). "KJ Simpson's undersized, not undermotivated". The Charlotte Post. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Charlotte Hornets Sign KJ Simpson To Two-Way Contract". NBA.com. July 7, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
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.