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As a Jazz fan who is looking more towards the draft than the playoffs this year, I've been researching some prospect and this week came upon a name noone is talking about. Anfernee Simons is a 6'4" combo guard who has drawn some Markelle Fultz comparisons. He's very young and he was supposed to go to Louisville but the things about the FBI investigation seem to have blown that plan apart. Right now it seems like he will take a post-grad year in IMG academy and he will be very likely eligible to be drafted in the 2018 draft. He looks like a 12 year old on the highlights I've seen and he will probably be somewhat of a developmental prospect, but I can see where the Fultz comparisons are coming from - he has a smooth deliberate game, his handle is good and he creates space and shoots off-the-dribble seamlessly.

Unfortunately, I cannot find full game footage so I can't get better feel for his game(please if somebody does have more expansive video of him, post it here). He is no. 8 on ESPN's top 100 prospects list.

Jonathan Givony wrote a story about him this week and about his decision on whether to enter the draft this year, or not. Here's the link :
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21459634/anfernee-simons-top-10-prospect-2018-high-school-class-considering-nba-draft

Here are some videos of him playing in high school:





Knowing the Jazz are likely to miss on the very top of the draft, if he indeed enters the draft he might be a legit target for us to consider. I love the little I've seen so far of him, he indeed reminds me of a less refined Fultz in those highlights...

Anyways... here's a thread for him. I'd love to hear from people who have actually watched him play full games and can share more comprehensive opinion on his game and even more specifically on his D, passing, feel for the game, etc.

First time watching him but i like what i see. His gamme is super smooth. He also has uncanny resemblance to branfon ingram in the face. One to look out for.

stitches wrote: He looks like a 12 year old on the highlights

Wait, wait... How old is he in that first video? He is not 18 is he? Can't be.

Watched 3 games live.

- Picture perfect form, off the dribble or catch, and is an elite shooter
- Creative handle that lets him get to his pull up
- Good athlete in space
- 6'3 or so with a solid build and long arms

- Didn't flash any vision in the half court and looked exclusively to score
- Turned it over quite a bit in traffic and tight spaces
- Wasn't a willing penetrator and hunted pull ups around the perimeter

Right now I'm seeing a Lou Will, Eric Gordon, etc type of player than a dynamic PnR guard who has the feel and footwork of a Fultz.

J_T wrote:

stitches wrote: He looks like a 12 year old on the highlights

Wait, wait... How old is he in that first video? He is not 18 is he? Can't be.

Seems like it's from this summer, which means he was 17 going on 18...

reanimator wrote:Watched 3 games live.

- Picture perfect form, off the dribble or catch, and is an elite shooter
- Creative handle that lets him get to his pull up
- Good athlete in space
- 6'3 or so with a solid build and long arms

- Didn't flash any vision in the half court and looked exclusively to score
- Turned it over quite a bit in traffic and tight spaces
- Wasn't a willing penetrator and hunted pull ups around the perimeter

Right now I'm seeing a Lou Will, Eric Gordon, etc type of player than a dynamic PnR guard who has the feel and footwork of a Fultz.

Thanks for the post reanimator. Hopefully he develops his feel because the strong sides are really strong from what I'm seeing and they are the exact type of strengths that are in fashion nowadays in the league - shooting and offense creation off the dribble.

I had to check what Iverson was at that age and he was actually two pounds heavier at 6 feet. He also looked stronger and more mature.



Fultz was drafted as 185, right? That's a lot of extra weight there and he is 195 now. I think that he is at serious disadvantage and his body is a concern for me. Usually American prospects don't disregard the gym at this age which makes me think that he is having problems putting on weight. I wonder what people think his floor and ceiling are?

J_T wrote:I had to check what Iverson was at that age and he was actually two pounds heavier at 6 feet. He also looked stronger and more mature.

Watch on YouTube

Fultz was drafted as 185, right? That's a lot of extra weight there and he is 195 now. I think that he is at serious disadvantage and his body is a concern for me. Usually American prospects don't disregard the gym at this age which makes me think that he is having problems putting on weight. I wonder what people think his floor and ceiling are?

I wouldn't be too worried about his weight. His frame looks good. He will gain weight as he matures and as he enters an NBA strength and conditioning program.

Hard for me to give ceiling and floor before I've watched even a single game of him.

Here's one more impressive highlight video of Anfernee:

Here's one more impressive highlight video of Anfernee:

Sheesh.. kid looks like a young Westbrook

He's a good and very fluid athlete, but he doesn't seem all that explosive. How would people compare his athleticism to D'Angelo Russell at a similar age?

All I see are pull up jumpers. What is different from him and Malik Monk?

He looks like a really intriguing young player but it hurts my heart to see undersized scoring 2's, especially when they have handle, length, etc., because I want to turn them all in to PG's. This kid seems too scoring orientated to be a PG, unfortunately.

Catchall wrote:He's a good and very fluid athlete, but he doesn't seem all that explosive. How would people compare his athleticism to D'Angelo Russell at a similar age?

Not comparable athletically. Although playstyle is similar to fultz and russell.. Simons is a much more explosive leaper than both of them.

GimmeDat wrote:He looks like a really intriguing young player but it hurts my heart to see undersized scoring 2's, especially when they have handle, length, etc., because I want to turn them all in to PG's. This kid seems too scoring orientated to be a PG, unfortunately.

Whats undersized for 2 guard? Simons is 6'4.5 in shoes and probably still growing.

jonjames wrote:

GimmeDat wrote:He looks like a really intriguing young player but it hurts my heart to see undersized scoring 2's, especially when they have handle, length, etc., because I want to turn them all in to PG's. This kid seems too scoring orientated to be a PG, unfortunately.

Whats undersized for 2 guard? Simons is 6'4.5 in shoes and probably still growing.

I'd seen 6'4, which I think is a bit undersized for a 2 guard. If he ends up 6'5+ he'll be fine at SG.

GimmeDat wrote:

jonjames wrote:

GimmeDat wrote:He looks like a really intriguing young player but it hurts my heart to see undersized scoring 2's, especially when they have handle, length, etc., because I want to turn them all in to PG's. This kid seems too scoring orientated to be a PG, unfortunately.

Whats undersized for 2 guard? Simons is 6'4.5 in shoes and probably still growing.

I'd seen 6'4, which I think is a bit undersized for a 2 guard. If he ends up 6'5+ he'll be fine at SG.

There have been a few really good 6-4 sgs though. Wade of course, and then you have Beal McCollum and Gordon for the rockets, who are nice.

Ca wrote:All I see are pull up jumpers. What is different from him and Malik Monk?

Little taller and much better handles. His closer to russell and futlz styliscally and physical profile.

Monk's slowly transitioning who can play a little pg, he played it in hs exclusively. But athletically he blows Simon's out of the water. He's a lou Williams whichu isn't bad, but he could really bust though

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