Prospect Spotlight: Shawn Simmons (2023)
Each year it seems like we see a group of freshman who are more developed and skilled than we’ve seen in previous years. 2023 is no different. One of those 2023 prospects is Shawn Simmons, a 6-foot-6 wing who performed at a high level in 2019-20 for Friends’ Central High School located in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania.
“The competition in our league is pretty even, Westtown is the big dog in our league, but we still did well and finished above .500,” Simmons told Prep Hoops. “I finished with 450 points on the season and focused on getting more assists toward the end of year.”
Friends’ Central finished with a 14-9 overall record according to Max Preps and were led by their talented freshman. At 6-foot-6, Simmons presents solid size and length on the wing. His skill set is such that he can make an impact from inside, outside and is a threat especially in the open floor where his athleticism can come to light.
“I’ll do whatever the team needs me to do and more,” Simmons continued, “I like to play defense and I can score the ball at all three levels. I like grabbing the defensive boards and showing my court awareness once I get double-teamed to stop me from getting to the rim.”
Simmons’ versatility at his size has become extremely valuable in today’s game. The more versatile a prospect is, the more he brings to his high school program and as a result, will attract more college program’s attention.
“What I’m focused on this summer is putting on more weight and muscle,” Simmons told me following 15U Team Durant training camp. “I want to get more consistent with my jumper too so defenders can’t play off of me. Teams know I like to get to the basket, so if I can prove to shoot better, it’ll get easier for me to get to the basket.”
It’s still very early in Simmons’ high school career, but schools such as Georgia, Georgetown and Virginia Tech were included in programs that have reached out to his coaches. He was slated to play with Team Durant’s 15U squad on the EYBL Circuit. A talented roster with nationally-known prospects already, Simmons could’ve certainly established his name on a big stage. For now, he’ll continue working out with Team Durant and putting on size to prepare for a big sophomore season.
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