For forward Aamir Simms, coming to Clemson was a no brainer. He knew it was a place where he could grow as a player and as a person.
“When I decided to come here, I knew I would leave here a better player and a man. I want to stay true to that,” he said.
Simms has definitely grown on and off the court. Clemson head coach Brad Brownell says he has taken that next step both physically and mentally as a player and has become the leader of a team that is replacing four seniors from last year’s 20-win team.
Simms showed off that growth in the World University Games in Italy this past summer, as he helped the Tigers bring home the gold medal for the United States.
On the court, he led Clemson in both scoring and rebounding in the tournament as the Tigers went a perfect 6-0 in the international event.
Like in the World University Game, Brownell says they are going to play Simms at the center and wing positions.
“It is always challenging for defenses to adapt to players who can do a little bit of everything, who can score at all three levels,” he said. So, for me, that has been my emphasis over the summer is working out, whether it is in the post, or mid-range, or the three.”
Simms shows his character as a basketball player and individual with how he leads his teammates. He says in leading the Tigers he knows he has to approach every guy differently in ways that help them. He explains how he wants to treat them all with respect because they are human and make mistakes just like him.
When asked how extra effort carries over to success for his team he explained, “It is really important. Second chance points play a big part in people scoring, so being able to rebound more as a team and individually is very important. It gives our team another opportunity to score on a play we might have messed up on, so getting that extra rebound to keep the play alive, to keep the drive alive, is very important in our success.”
Simms and the Tigers will open up ACC play Nov. 5 in Littlejohn Coliseum against Virginia Tech.
We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Fanatics. This is great news for Tiger fans as they have the officially licensed Clemson gear.
The Clemson Insider will get a portion of all sales so get ready for another championship season by ordering your Clemson gear today and help support TCI.
