Anfernee Simmons — how the Florida kid became the blue-chip prospect in Portland
By: Wayne
Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Penny Hardaway, and Tracy McGrady had legendary careers in the NBA on a preps-to-pros path — that is, they went directly to the NBA from college. The league offered massive earnings potential and security that college ball never could — why not just go straight to the NBA if your body is ready? Of course, for every Bryant and James, there’s a Kwame Brown or Eddie Curry. First-round flameouts who never lived up to their nationally recognized star potential. Constant reminders to up-and-coming basketball players that taking a year to develop in college may not be the worst idea.
In 2005, the NBA and player’s union began to discuss the idea of an age limit for incoming players. Then-commissioner David Stern lobbied for a 20 to be the limit. He didn’t like the idea of NBA scouts and media infiltrating high school gyms and locker rooms. The player’s union was against any age limit, but they eventually came to a compromise — players must be out of high school for at least a year and be 19 years old before being drafted. In 2005, Gerald Green was drafted with the 18th pick in the first round by the Boston Celtics. He was the last preps-to-pros player drafted in the first round before the new rules would go into place.
In 2017, 12 years after the preps-to-pros rule went into place, one of the drawbacks of college ball reared its ugly head. One of the NCAA’s highest-profile programs at Louisville University was exposed in an ugly scandal. It was uncovered that basketball recruits were provided with an escort service at a dormitory during their on-campus visits. This, along with recruiting violations centered around illegal sponsorship activity with Adidas and payment for the services of potential scholarship athletes marred the reputation of the program. Head coach Rick Pitino had already been ousted on recruiting violation allegations the year before. Now, Lousiville had to forfeit 123 wins, including two Final Four trips and a national championship. That included $600,000 in tournament payouts. How would this once-proud basketball program regain its national standing? Would high school recruits even consider going to a school with such a negative perception?
Enter Anfernee Simons. In the summer of 2017, the 18-year-old point guard was a 5-star recruit on virtually every website. Simons was coming off a productive 5-year high school career (the player was young for his class with a July 8 birthday, so he reclassified after his freshman year). His senior-year averages landed at 23.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 20 games played. Every college scout was thrilled about his potential and the production he could offer their program. Simons had committed to the University of Louisville, a top basketball program that was thrilled to have him. Then, a black cloud emerged over the university in the form of a barrage of accusations. The public perception of Louisville sports was at an all-time low, and with the FBI involved in the scandal, Simons wanted none of it. He decommitted from Louisville University.
Simons had his mindset on the NBA and didn’t want to travel to another state to play just one year of basketball. Still, Simons knew he was taking a risk by forgoing college ball. While it only would have lasted for a year, playing at a powerhouse program puts your talents on a national stage unlike anything else. But Simons took a different path — one the man he was named after, Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway had taken many years before. Hardaway had turned into a close friend of Simons’ father years later, and his son played basketball with Simons at IMG. It was assumed Anfernee Simons would go to Memphis after Penny took the head coaching job there, but it never came to fruition. Simons wanted to stay home at Florida and focus on his NBA future, and the renowned sports prep program at IMG seemed like the perfect place to be. It was 2 and a half hours from his hometown of Altamonte Springs, Florida, and would provide him with the tools to hone and improve his game.
In 2018, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Anfernee Simons with the 24th overall pick in the draft. The guard was an enigma — he had a 5-star valuation everywhere but nobody had really seen him play. He was a project in the truest sense of the word, and teams knew he would not be able to contribute right away. For a Blazers team trying to break through in a crowded Western Conference, a multi-year project wasn’t ideal. They needed help now. But general manager Neil Olshey had his eyes set on Simons, and his long-term potential to grow behind star guards Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.
Anfernee Simons was a non-factor as a rookie. No real knock on him, as breaking through in the NBA as a 19-year-old isn’t easy, and with established guards ahead of him like Lillard, McCollum, Seth Curry, and Rodney Hood. This season has been a different story. After Curry departed for the Mavericks during the offseason, the Blazers were in desperate need of a scoring punch off the bench. In 21 minutes off the bench this year, Simons has provided 11.3 points per game on 46.5% from the field and 38.3% from 3. Those numbers, while solid, don’t do the young player justice. He has had 4 of 11 games this year with three 3-pointers made, and he has averaged 13 points and 2 triples over the last 2 weeks. The second-year jump has been evident, and he could even turn into a fringe Most Improved Player candidate.
Simons is just 20, so it’s important to have reasonable expectations for the young player. NBA players don’t typically reach their statistical prime until they are 26 or 27. But Simons’ ceiling is sky-high, and it seems like Portland’s long-term investment in him could pay off in a huge way. Lillard and McCollum will be perfect for him to learn behind, as he polishes his passing and scoring skillsets. The wiry guard will likely always struggle with defense to an extent, but as time goes on his frame will mature and his team defending will improve as his basketball IQ increases. Simons is going to be fun to watch for years to come, and even as a 20-year-old this season he can provide the Blazers with the shooting and scoring they need next to their star guards.
