Sonny Weems facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids
Sonny Weems
No. 23 – Shenzhen Leopards
Weems with Anadolu Efes in March 2018
Small forward / shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1986-07-08) July 8, 1986 (age 38) West Memphis, Arkansas, U.S.
High school	West Memphis (West Memphis, Arkansas)
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
College	Arkansas–Fort Smith (2004–2006) Arkansas (2006–2008)
NBA Draft	2008 / Round: 2 / Pick: 39th overall
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Pro career	2008–present
League	CBA
Career history
2008–2009	Denver Nuggets
2008–2009	→Colorado 14ers
2009–2011	Toronto Raptors
2011–2012	Žalgiris Kaunas
2012–2015	CSKA Moscow
2015–2016	Phoenix Suns
2016	Philadelphia 76ers
2016–2017	Maccabi Tel Aviv
2017–2018	Zhejiang Golden Bulls
2018	Anadolu Efes
2018–2022	Guangdong Southern Tigers
2022–2023	Shanxi Loongs
2023–2024	Guangdong Southern Tigers
2024	Shijiazhuang Xianglan
2024–Present	Shenzhen Leopards

Career highlights and awards
CBA Finals MVP (2020) 3× CBA champion (2019–2021) All-EuroLeague First Team (2014) 3× VTB United League champion (2013–2015) All-VTB United League First Team (2013) All-Russian League Second Team (2013) LKL All-Star (2012) LKL All-Star Day Slam Dunk champion (2012) LKF Cup winner (2012) First-team All-SEC (2008) LKL champion (2012) NJCAA third-team All-American (2005)

Clarence "Sonny" Weems (born July 8, 1986) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Shenzhen Leopards in China. Sonny is 6 feet 6 inches tall and plays as a shooting guard or small forward.

He played college basketball for the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. In 2008, the Chicago Bulls picked him in the 2008 NBA draft. He later played for teams like the Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns in the NBA. Sonny has also played for many teams in Europe and China. He was even named to the All-EuroLeague First Team in 2014, which is a big honor in European basketball.

Early Life and Challenges

Sonny Weems was born with a condition that affected his feet. Doctors thought he might not be able to walk or run easily. As a child, he wore special shoes to help his feet.

Despite these challenges, Sonny worked hard. He grew up to become a champion in long jump and high jump in his home state. This showed his amazing determination.

High School and College Basketball

Sonny played basketball at West Memphis High School. In his senior year, he was named first team all-state. He led his team to win the state championship. During his high school career, his team had an impressive record of 68 wins and only 10 losses.

After high school, Sonny went to a junior college called the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. He was recognized as one of the best junior college players in the country. He helped his team reach the National Championship in 2006.

Playing for Arkansas Razorbacks

Sonny then joined the Arkansas Razorbacks college team. In his first year, he scored about 11.8 points per game. He helped the Razorbacks get into the NCAA Tournament.

In his senior year, Sonny was named first team All-SEC. He scored 15 points per game. He led the Razorbacks to a big win against Indiana University in the NCAA Tournament. Sonny scored 31 points in that game! After the tournament, he also won the College Slam Dunk Championship.

Professional Basketball Career

NBA Journey

NBA Draft Pick

In April 2008, Sonny Weems decided to enter the 2008 NBA draft. Many NBA teams were interested in him because he was very fast and agile. The Chicago Bulls picked him as the 39th player overall. Soon after, he was traded to the Denver Nuggets.

NBA Development League Experience

The Nuggets sent Sonny to their minor league team, the Colorado 14ers. This league is called the NBA Development League (now G-League). It helps players get more experience.

Sonny played well for the 14ers, averaging 18 points per game. He had several strong games, scoring over 20 points multiple times. After playing 10 games, the Denver Nuggets called him back to their main team.

Time with NBA Teams

Sonny made his NBA debut with the Denver Nuggets in January 2009. He later moved to the Toronto Raptors.

Weems playing for the Toronto Raptors in 2012

With the Raptors, he started more games and scored a career-high 25 points in one game. After his time with the Raptors, he also played briefly for the Phoenix Suns and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Playing in Europe

Žalgiris Kaunas (2011–2012)

In 2011, Sonny signed with Žalgiris Kaunas, a team in Lithuania. He played well, averaging 15.5 points per game in the EuroLeague. His contract ended early in March 2012 because of an ankle injury. He returned to the U.S. for treatment.

CSKA Moscow (2012–2015)

In 2012, Sonny joined CSKA Moscow, a top team in Russia. He became an important player for the team.

In his first season, CSKA Moscow finished third in the EuroLeague Final Four. They also won the VTB United League championship. Sonny averaged 13.7 points per game in the EuroLeague.

In the 2013–14 season, Sonny continued to be a key player. He was even named to the All-EuroLeague First Team. CSKA Moscow won the VTB United League championship again.

For the 2014–15 season, CSKA Moscow reached the EuroLeague Final Four for the fourth time in a row. They won the VTB United League championship for the third time in a row. After three successful seasons, Sonny left CSKA Moscow to return to the NBA.

Return to Overseas Basketball

Maccabi Tel Aviv (2016–2017)

In 2016, Sonny signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel. His time with the team ended early in January 2017 due to a league rule.

Zhejiang Golden Bulls (2017–2018)

In 2017, Sonny joined the Zhejiang Golden Bulls in China. He had a great season, averaging 31.7 points, 8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game.

Anadolu Efes (2018)

In February 2018, Sonny signed with Anadolu Efes in Turkey for the rest of the season. He scored 19 points in his first game with the team.

Guangdong Southern Tigers (2018–2022 & 2023-2024)

In October 2018, Sonny joined the Guangdong Southern Tigers in China. He helped them win three straight CBA championships from 2019 to 2021. In 2020, he was named the Finals MVP after an amazing performance.

In 2022, Sonny was involved in an incident during a game. This led to a suspension for him and another player. The league and other players spoke out against some negative fan behavior that happened during this time.

Shanxi Loongs (2022–2023)

In 2022, Sonny signed a one-year contract with the Shanxi Loongs in China.

Shenzhen Leopards (2024-Present)

In October 2024, Sonny Weems signed with the Shenzhen Leopards, another team in the Chinese Basketball Association.

Personal Life and Community Work

Sonny Weems cares about his community. In May 2020, he donated protective masks to his hometown of West Memphis, Arkansas. He wanted to help elderly people and low-income families get masks through his "Weems World" foundation.

In June 2024, Sonny helped lead the Athletes Abroad Summit. This event helps American athletes get ready for playing sports in other countries.

Career Statistics

Legend
GP	Games 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	PIR	Performance Index Rating
Bold	Career high

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2008–09	Denver	12	0	4.6	.320	.000	.375	.3	.3	.1	.0	1.6
2009–10	Toronto	69	19	19.8	.515	.133	.688	2.8	1.5	.6	.4	7.5
2010–11	Toronto	59	28	23.9	.444	.279	.766	2.6	1.8	.6	.0	9.2
2015–16	Phoenix	36	0	11.7	.393	.406	.538	1.1	1.3	.3	.0	2.5
2015–16	Philadelphia	7	0	11.1	.333	.222	.500	1.7	.3	.0	.0	2.4
Career		183	47	18.2	.465	.283	.702	2.2	1.4	.5	.2	6.5

EuroLeague

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG	PIR
2011–12	Žalgiris	15	15	29.9	.474	.360	.686	5.0	1.3	.9	.2	15.5	12.7
2012–13	CSKA Moscow	28	27	28.8	.472	.385	.813	2.9	2.1	.8	.1	13.7	11.8
2013–14		29	27	28.5	.442	.354	.754	3.5	3.7	.9	.2	12.2	12.4
2014–15		26	22	26.9	.425	.371	.792	4.0	3.5	1.0	.2	13.1	11.8
2016–17	Maccabi	19	16	27.0	.509	.327	.703	3.3	3.4	.9	.1	11.6	11.1
2017–18	Anadolu Efes	6	6	30.4	.452	.318	.769	3.5	4.0	.7	.0	15.5	13.7
Career		123	113	28.3	.459	.361	.757	3.6	3.0	.9	.2	13.2	12.0

Domestic leagues

Year	Team	League	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2011–12	Žalgiris	LKL	13	12	23.6	.441	.343	.694	3.9	1.9	1.4	.1	9.9
2011–12	Žalgiris	VTB	16	16	25.4	.474	.342	.735	4.1	2.0	.8	.4	10.3
2012–13	CSKA	VTB	25	19	24.3	.485	.442	.659	2.5	1.7	.7	.1	11.5
2012–13		PBL	15	14	24.6	.454	.468	.667	3.1	2.1	.5	.0	11.2
2013–14		VTB	26	25	29.0	.444	.371	.711	3.2	3.3	1.0	.4	11.0
2014–15		VTB	31	26	22.1	.454	.437	.750	2.7	3.5	.6	.2	11.6
2016–17	Maccabi	ISBL	11	9	24.3	.333	.229	.846	3.8	4.5	1.0	.1	7.7
2017–18	Zhejiang	CBA	38	38	38.9	.509	.409	.834	8.0	5.9	1.6	.3	31.7
2017–18	Anadolu Efes	BSL	15	10	27.7	.500	.333	.773	3.4	3.1	.7	.1	12.9
2018–19	Guangdong	CBA	54	12	33.2	.566	.371	.786	5.7	6.4	1.6	.2	23.1
2019–20	51	30	29.5	.539	.364	.817	6.1	6.1	1.6	.4	21.8
2020–21	54	36	21.3	.505	.333	.796	4.7	5.2	1.4	.2	16.7
2021–22	27	27	27.0	.505	.397	.824	4.7	5.6	1.2	.4	15.0