Lionel Simmons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lionel Simmons

Personal information
Born	(1968-11-14) November 14, 1968 (age 56) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
High school	South Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
College	La Salle (1986–1990)
NBA Draft	1990 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall
Selected by the Sacramento Kings
Pro career	1990–1997
Career history
1990–1997	Sacramento Kings
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie First Team (1991) National college player of the year (1990) Consensus first-team All-American (1990) Consensus second-team All-American (1989) Third-team All-American – UPI (1988) 3× MAAC Player of the Year (1988–1990) No. 22 retired by La Salle Explorers
Career NBA statistics
Points	5,833 (12.8 ppg)
Rebounds	2,833 (4.5 rpg)
Assists	1,498 (3.3 apg)
Medals Men's Basketball Representing  United States FIBA Americas Championship Silver 1989 Mexico City Team competition FIBA U19 World Championship Silver 1987 Bormio Team competition

Lionel James "L-Train" Simmons (born November 14, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player. He was known for his amazing skills as a small forward in both college and the NBA.

Early Life and High School Success

Lionel Simmons grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He played basketball for South Philadelphia High School. In 1986, he led his team to win the Philadelphia Public League boys' championship. He was even named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his great performance. Later, in 2008, he was honored by being inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.

College Basketball Career

Simmons played college basketball for La Salle University. He was a 6-foot-7-inch small forward. During his senior year, he won two major awards: the Naismith College Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award. These awards recognize the best college basketball player in the country.

Impressive College Records

Lionel Simmons holds some incredible records in college basketball. He is fifth in all-time NCAA career points with 3,217. Only a few players, like Pete Maravich, have scored more points than him. He was also the first player in NCAA history to score over 3,000 points and grab more than 1,100 rebounds.

He also set an NCAA record for scoring in double figures (10 points or more) in 115 consecutive games! This shows how consistently good he was.

Team Success and Awards

Simmons led the La Salle Explorers to the NCAA Tournament three years in a row, from 1988 to 1990. He was named the Player of the Year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference for three straight years. He also received the Robert V. Geasey Trophy three times as the Big 5 MVP. During his time at La Salle, the team had an impressive record of 100 wins and only 31 losses.

His jersey number, 22, was retired by La Salle Explorers to honor his contributions. He was inducted into the La Salle University Hall of Athletes in 1995 and the Big 5 Hall of Fame in 1996.

Professional Basketball Career

In 1990, Lionel Simmons was chosen by the Sacramento Kings as the seventh pick in the 1990 NBA draft. He quickly showed his talent in the NBA.

Rookie Season Highlights

On March 23, 1991, Simmons scored a career-high 42 points in a game against the Phoenix Suns. He was a strong contender for the 1991 NBA Rookie of the Year Award, finishing as the runner-up to Derrick Coleman. He was also named the NBA Player of the Week during his rookie season, right after the All-Star break.

Career with the Kings

Simmons played for the Sacramento Kings for seven seasons. He scored a total of 5,833 points during his professional career. Sadly, he had to retire early in 1997 because of ongoing injuries. Even with a shorter career, he earned over $21 million playing professional basketball.

See also

In Spanish: Lionel Simmons para niños

• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds
• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career scoring leaders