Lionel Simmons

Lionel Simmons
Personal information
Born (1968-11-14) November 14, 1968 (age 56)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolSouth Philadelphia
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
CollegeLa Salle (1986–1990)
NBA draft1990: 1st round, 7th overall pick
Selected by the Sacramento Kings
Playing career1990–1997
PositionSmall forward
Number22
Career history
1990–1997Sacramento Kings
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points5,833 (12.8 ppg)
Rebounds2,833 (4.5 rpg)
Assists1,498 (3.3 apg)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
Medals
Men's Basketball
Representing  United States
FIBA Americas Championship
Silver medal – second place 1989 Mexico City Team competition
FIBA U19 World Championship
Silver medal – second place 1987 Bormio Team competition

Lionel James "L-Train" Simmons (born November 14, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player.

Early life

Simmons led South Philadelphia High School to a Philadelphia Public League boys' championship in 1986, getting an MVP award in the process.[1] He was inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.[2]

College career

Simmons was a 6'7" small forward from La Salle University, where he won the Naismith College Player of the Year and John R. Wooden Award as a senior. Simmons is fifth in all-time NCAA career points with 3,217 and trails only Pete Maravich, Antoine Davis, Freeman Williams and Chris Clemons. Simmons became the first player in NCAA history to score more than 3,000 points and pull down more than 1,100 rebounds.[3] He holds the NCAA Basketball record for most consecutive games scoring in double figures with 115.[4] He led the Explorers to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances (1988–90).[5] Simmons was Player of the Year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference for three years. He was a four-time First Team All Big 5 selection and won the Robert V. Geasey Trophy as Big 5 MVP three times. During his career, the Explorers had a 100–31 record.[6] Simmons was inducted into the La Salle University Hall of Athletes in 1995. Simmons was inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame in 1996.[7]

College statistics

Source[8]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1986–87 La Salle 33 33 38.0 .526 .333 .763 9.8 1.8 1.6 1.4 20.3
1987–88 La Salle 34 34 39.0 .485 .250 .757 11.4 2.5 2.1 2.3 23.3
1988–89 La Salle 32 32 38.9 .487 .375 .711 11.4 3.0 1.7 1.9 28.4
1989–90 La Salle 32 32 38.1 .513 .477 .661 11.1 3.6 1.9 2.0 26.5
Career 131 131 38.5 .501 .415 .722 10.9 2.7 1.8 1.9 24.6

Professional career

Simmons was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the seventh pick of the 1990 NBA draft. On March 23, 1991, Simmons scored a career-high 42 points in a 100–95 loss to the Phoenix Suns.[9] He was the runner-up to Derrick Coleman for the 1991 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Simmons was NBA Player of the Week the week after the All-Star break during his rookie season.

He played seven seasons for the Kings, scoring 5,833 career points, until prematurely retiring in 1997 due to chronic injuries. He earned more than $21 million in a pro career that lasted seven seasons.

See also

References

  1. ^ "L-Train pulls into town - Nov 13, 2008 - South Philly Review | News, opinion, arts, food, real estate and sports in South Philadelphia". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
  2. ^ "Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame".
  3. ^ "Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
  4. ^ "Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on September 5, 2009. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
  5. ^ http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/34383869.html [dead link‍]
  6. ^ "La Salle University : Alumni". Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
  7. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 25, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ "La Salle University Basketball 1990-91". 1990. p. 46. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  9. ^ "Phoenix Suns at Sacramento Kings Box Score, March 23, 1991". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2020.