Anfernee Simons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Anfernee Simons

Simons with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019
No. 1 – Portland Trail Blazers
Shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1999-06-08) June 8, 1999 (age 25) Altamonte Springs, Florida, U.S.
High school	Edgewater (Orlando, Florida) IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	181 lb (82 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24th overall
Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers
Pro career	2018–present
League	NBA
Career history
2018–present	Portland Trail Blazers
2019	→Agua Caliente Clippers
Career highlights and awards
NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2021)

Anfernee Tyrik Simons (/ˈænfərni/ an-FƏR-nee; born June 8, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played prep basketball for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He became the first American to enter and be selected in an NBA draft directly after graduating from high school since the league first implemented age restriction rules in 2005.

High school career

Simons first attended Edgewater High School in Orlando, Florida, where during his sophomore year he averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1 steal per game in 30 games. During his junior year he transferred to Montverde Academy in Montverde, but after being a bench player, returned to Edgewater with the intention of holding his name back from college consideration for a year. He graduated from Edgewater in 2017, averaging 23.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in 20 games played in his last year there. Then, because of his reclassification in the Class of 2018, he attended the IMG Academy in Bradenton for a postgraduate year, although he had previously expressed interest in spending that year at the West Oaks Academy in Orlando instead. During the summer of 2017, he also played for the United States men's national under-19 basketball team.

Simons was rated as a five-star recruit and was ranked as the 7th best player in the 2018 class by 247Sports.com. ..... In January 2018, he then said that he was "most likely" going to bypass college and enter the 2018 NBA Draft, albeit without hiring an agent. In March 2018 he confirmed his decision, and later removed his name from the 2018 Nike Hoop Summit and Jordan Brand Classic. On March 20, 2018, ESPN ranked him as the 19th best prospect in the draft. Simons was later named one of the 69 players invited to the 2018 NBA Draft Combine that year.

US college sports recruiting information for 2018 recruits
Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Anfernee Simons SG	Altamonte, FL	IMG Academy (FL)	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	181 lb (82 kg)	Nov 12, 2016
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 94
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 10  247Sports: 10  ESPN: 9
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:

Professional career

Portland Trail Blazers (2018–present)

Simons was selected 24th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2018 NBA draft. He would be the third high school player since 2015 to be drafted in the NBA, behind Thon Maker and Satnam Singh Bhamara. On July 2, 2018, the Trail Blazers announced that they had signed Simons.

On January 21, 2019, the Blazers assigned Simons to the Agua Caliente Clippers for an NBA G League assignment.

On April 10, 2019, Simons had his first career start against the Sacramento Kings while the Trail Blazers rested Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum for the final game of the regular season. Simons put up career highs across the board with 37 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists, becoming the first Trail Blazers rookie to score 30-plus points since Lillard.

In the championship round of the Slam Dunk Contest during halftime of the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, Simons attempted to kiss the rim, but failed and still completed the dunk. Despite his failed attempt, he was named the 2021 Slam Dunk Champion on a 3–2 decision.

On January 3, 2022, Simons scored a then career-high 43 points behind nine three-pointers, along with seven assists, in a 136–131 win over the Atlanta Hawks. In a postgame interview, he dedicated the game to his grandfather who died of cancer the previous night. On March 28, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season with patellar tendinopathy in his left knee.

On July 6, 2022, Simons re-signed with the Trail Blazers on a four-year, $100 million contract. On October 21, Simons hit a game-winning floater in a 113–111 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns. On December 3, Simons scored a career-high 45 points in a 116–111 win over the Utah Jazz. On February 3, 2023, Simons scored 33 points in a 124–116 comeback win over the Washington Wizards.

On October 25, 2023, Simons suffered a torn UCL in his right thumb against the Los Angeles Clippers, ruling him out for four to six weeks.

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

Personal life

Simons was given the name Anfernee due to his parents, Charles and Tameka, being fans of the Orlando Magic and naming him after former player Penny Hardaway. Hardaway coached Simons during a Team USA Basketball training camp.

See also

In Spanish: Anfernee Simons para niños In Spanish: Anfernee Simons para niños