Jonathon Simmons is the Spurs’ dark horse
Jonathon Simmons has been playing lights out for the San Antonio Spurs during the playoffs after paying for a spot in the NBA D-League four years ago
On September 28, 2013, Jonathon Simmons paid $150 to try out for the Austin Toros (now renamed Austin Spurs) at Concordia University. In Game 6 of the 2017 NBA Western Conference Semifinals, in which the Spurs eliminated the Houston Rockets, Simmons made his 11th start of the season and his first NBA playoff start in place of the injured Kawhi Leonard.
The question most people around the NBA want to know is, who is Jonathon Simmons?
A Houston native, Simmons nearly dropped out of high school due to academic troubles. After high school, he took the junior college route, playing at Paris Junior College from 2008-09 and went on to Midland College from 2009-10.
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After his stints at junior colleges, Simmons transferred to Houston to play for the Cougars where he was 8th in Conference USA scoring (14.7 PPG). In 2012, Simmons hired an agent and declared for the NBA Draft where he was undrafted.
After not being selected in the NBA Draft, Simmons tried out for the American Basketball League and was selected by the Sugar Land Legends where in 16 games he averaged around 37 points.
In 2013, Jonathon Simmons tried out for the Austin Toros D-League basketball team where he paid a $150 registration fee, and ended up making the team where he averaged 10 points in 23 minutes of playing time during his first season.
The next season was a major year for Simmons on the Austin Toros where they went to the Western Conference Finals behind Simmons, where he averaged 15.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
After two seasons with the Austin Toros, Simmons’ agent got the phone call. He was now officially a part of a real NBA team.
The San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs signed Simmons to a two-year (with a non-guaranteed second year). When assigned to the Spurs Summer League Team, Simmons scored 23 points in the championship game and led the Spurs to a Summer League Championship.
In November of 2015, Simmons made his NBA Debut and played 55 regular season games with the Spurs. He averaged roughly six points in 10 minutes per contest.
Two years later, Simmons is starting in an elimination playoff game for the San Antonio Spurs, filling in for the team’s best player.
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“Juice” as his teammates call him, has provided a major spark off the bench for the San Antonio Spurs during this playoffs with his great defense and shooting. He shut James Harden down in Game 6 of Western Conference Semifinals, with Harden shooting 2-11 in over 36 minutes of playing time.
With the San Antonio Spurs now slated to face the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, will the 27-year-old’s hot streak continue?