Dave Simmons (basketball, born 1963)
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1963 |
| Nationality | American / Australian |
| Listed height | 205 cm (6 ft 9 in) |
| Career information | |
| High school | South Bronx (Bronx, New York) |
| College | Oklahoma City |
| Pro career | 1989–2001 |
| Position | Power forward / Center |
| Number | 25 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1989–1996 | Melbourne Tigers (Australia) |
| 1994 | Westchester Stallions (USBL) |
| 1997 | Newcastle Falcons (Australia) |
| 1998 | Sydney Kings (Australia) |
| 1998–1999 | Newcastle Falcons (Australia) |
| 1999–2001 | Canberra Cannons (Australia) |
| As coach: | |
| 2003–2005 | Hunter Pirates (interim & asst.) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
David "Dave" Simmons (born 1963) is an American-Australian former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He also had a two-year coaching stint with the Hunter Pirates.
Playing career
A New York City native, Simmons attended South Bronx High School in The Bronx before playing college basketball for Oklahoma City University during the 1980s.[1] After graduating from Oklahoma City and moving around Central and South America for a short while, Simmons moved to Australia in 1989 where he signed with the Melbourne Tigers of the Australian National Basketball League.[2] He joined fellow American Dave Colbert as the Tigers' second import and proved to be a fan favorite straight away in Melbourne. In his first NBL game against the Hobart Devils, Simmons recorded 28 points and 8 rebounds. He backed this up with a 25-point, 15-rebound effort against the Eastside Melbourne Spectres the next night. He went on to score 30 or more points seven times in his debut season, including a 40-point performance against the Brisbane Bullets on August 20. Simmons continued to play with the Tigers through the early 1990s as he earned All-Star honors in his second season and helped the Tigers win the NBL championship in 1993.[3]
In the spring of 1994, Simmons joined the Westchester Stallions of the United States Basketball League before returning to the Melbourne Tigers for the 1994 NBL season. He played a further three seasons with the Tigers and led the team in blocked shots per game nearly every year.[3] In 1997, he left the Tigers and signed with the Newcastle Falcons but managed only one season with the club. In March 1998, he joined the Sydney Kings a month into the 1998 season. However, his Sydney stint did not last long as he left the club after just six games.[4]
In December 1998, Simmons returned to the Newcastle Falcons, signing with the club for the rest of the 1998–99 NBL season as a replacement for sacked import Todd Mundt.[5][6] Following the conclusion of the NBL season, he joined the Rockhampton Rockets for the 1999 QBL season.[5]
In September 1999, Simmons signed with the Canberra Cannons as a naturalized Australian to replace injured import Clayton Ritter.[5] He played two seasons for the Cannons but finished his career on a sour note when he was released by the club with six games to go in the 2000–01 season due to off court issues that were not disclosed to the public.[3]
Coaching career
In 2003, Simmons was hired by the Hunter Pirates as an assistant coach for the 2003–04 NBL season. However, in December 2003, he took over the head coaching job on an interim basis after the club controversially sacked Bruce Palmer just months into the Pirates' debut season.[7] He returned to an assistant coaching role for the 2004–05 season after the club hired legendary Australian coach Dr. Adrian Hurley.
Personal
Simmons and his wife, Australian native Julie, have six children: three sons (Liam, Sean and Ben) and three daughters (Melissa, Emily and Olivia).[8] His eldest son, Liam, is an assistant coach for the Nicholls State Colonels men's basketball team[9] while his daughter, Emily, is a member of the WSU women's rowing team.[8] His youngest son, Ben, is currently playing high school basketball in the United States and is touted as a possible first round pick in the 2016 NBA draft. His long-time friend, David Patrick, is Ben's godfather and an assistant coach at Louisiana State University, the school Ben plans to attend in 2015–16.[10]
References
- ↑ Lawlor, Christopher. "Pangos All-American Camp". BlueStarMedia.org. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
- ↑ Rosetta, Randy (July 24, 2014). "Ben Simmons' connection to LSU remains rock-solid after an explosive summer". NOLA.com. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Dave Simmons – NBL Wiki". AndTheFoul.net. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
- ↑ "Player statistics for David Simmons – 1998 season". FoxSportPulse.com. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Roach, Stewart (September 23, 1999). "Paths Cross As Careers Take Off". VictoriaCross.com.au. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
- ↑ "Player statistics for David Simmons – 1998/99 season". FoxSportPulse.com. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
- ↑ "Pirates blasted over sacking". TheAge.com.au. December 5, 2003. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Emily Tribe Profile". WSUCougars.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ↑ "Staff Directory – Liam Tribe-Simmons". WSUCougars.com. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ↑ Ward, Roy (June 5, 2014). "Australian Boomers teen Ben Simmons on track for the NBA". SMH.com.au. Retrieved November 25, 2014.