Peaking ahead at the soon to be NBA career of Anfernee Simons
The last time we interviewed Anfernee Simons here at Prep Hoops, he was a senior at Edgewater who recently committed to Louisville.
Fast forward a year and a few months and Simons has declared for the 2018 NBA Draft, per ESPN’s report on Thursday.
Simons reclassed and played for IMG post grad this season. The 6’3″, 180-pounder turns 19 in June and has spent one year out of high school since graduating, allowing him to head to the NBA.
The prior season, his senior year at Edgewater, he helped the Eagles reach the Class 7A state final before losing to Dillard.
“After discussing the matter with my parents, I have decided to forgo the opportunity to play in the NCAA and to instead enter the NBA draft,” Simons told ESPN. “I am very thankful for the support I received at IMG Academy and from the NCAA coaches who recruited me. I am ready and excited to pursue my dream of playing in the NBA.”
NBA scouts had been watching Simons all season long at IMG including the Hoop Hall Classic in Massachusets where a reported 15 scouts came to watch him and in Tampa at the ARS Rescue Rooter Hoopfest.
A sharpshooter who has worked endlessly to perfect his craft between AAU program Team Breakdown, Edgewater and IMG, Simons had been mulling over a move to the NBA. NC State, South Carolina, Tennessee and UF were among the college programs that Simons had earned strong interest from as of late.
He’ll be playing in the Nike Hoop Summit on April 13 and the Jordan Brand Classic on March 1. That should give NBA scouts plenty of time to evaluate Simons even further prior to the draft on June 21.
Simons is smart to head off to the NBA. With the NBA G League helping develop players including Orlando’s own, Oak Ridge alum Antonio Blakeney this season.
Rather than spending a year in college between classes and playing for a new coach, Simons can work in slowly in the biggest professional basketball league in the world while also getting paid. It isn’t all about money, but Simons is being wise to develop while also receiving top-notch training, coaching and compensation on top of all that.
A big congrats to 2018 G @AnferneeSimons for his announcement to declare for this year’s NBA Draft. He is a dangerous shooter who worked endlessly at @IMGABasketball and @EdgewaterBBall. A bright future ahead. pic.twitter.com/hMKDU0T5sv
— ᴊᴀᴋᴇ ᴘᴇʀᴘᴇʀ (@JakePerper) March 22, 2018
Photo credit: Orlando Sentinel