Willie Sims (basketball) facts for kids
Sims in 2013
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| Shooting guard | |||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
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| Born | June 16, 1958 Lanett, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Nationality | American, Israeli | ||||||||||
| Died | December 23, 2022 (aged 64) Israel |
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| High school | Long Island City (Long Island City, New York) |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| College | LSU (1977–1981) | ||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1981 / Round: 5 / Pick: 101st overall | ||||||||||
| Selected by the Denver Nuggets | |||||||||||
| Pro career | 1981–1999 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| 1981–1983 | Maccabi Haifa | ||||||||||
| 1983–1985 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | ||||||||||
| 1985–1987 | Elitzur Netanya | ||||||||||
| 1987–1992 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | ||||||||||
| 1992–1996 | Hapoel Eilat | ||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Maccabi Hadera | ||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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Medals
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Willie Sims (Hebrew: וילי סימס) was a professional basketball player from America and Israel. He was born on June 16, 1958, and passed away on December 23, 2022. He played college basketball for the LSU Tigers team.
Contents
Willie Sims' Early Life
Willie Sims was born in Lanett, Alabama. He grew up in New York City, New York. His grandmother, who became Jewish, mostly raised him.
Willie played basketball in high school at Long Island City High School. He then played college basketball at Louisiana State University from 1977 to 1981. In 1981, the Denver Nuggets team drafted him for the NBA. However, he never played in the NBA or any other league in North America.
Playing Basketball in Israel
Willie Sims, an American player, moved to Israel to play basketball. He played for Maccabi Haifa B.C. from 1981 to 1983.
Winning the Israeli Cup
From 1983 to 1985, Willie played for Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C.. During this time, he helped his team win the Israeli Basketball State Cup.
Playing for Elitzur Netanya
After Hapoel Tel Aviv, Willie played for Elitzur Netanya from 1985 to 1987.
Becoming a Star at Maccabi Tel Aviv
From 1987 to 1992, Willie played for Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.. This was a very successful time for him.
- He won the Israeli Basketball Super League five times.
- He also won the Israeli State Cup three times.
He became one of the most famous players for Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Later Career and Retirement
Willie played for Hapoel Eilat B.C. from 1992 until 1996. After that, he stopped playing basketball actively and became a coach.
He returned to play for one more season in 1998-99 with Maccabi Hadera in the Liga Leumit. After that season, he retired from playing for good.
Playing for the United States Team
Willie Sims also played for the United States national basketball team.
Maccabiah Games Gold Medals
He played in the 10th 1977 Maccabiah Games. He scored the winning shot against Israel in the finals. This helped the United States team win the championship. He also played in the 11th 1981 Maccabiah Games, again representing the United States.
Willie Sims' Family Life
Willie Sims was married in Cyprus. He had a daughter named Danielle Sims. She is married to another basketball player, Gal Mekel.
Willie Sims passed away in Israel on December 23, 2022. He was 64 years old. He died from problems caused by a heart attack.
See also
In Spanish: Willie Sims (baloncesto) para niños
