{{short description|American basketball player}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = David Simon | image = KBL Basketball - KGC.jpg | image_size = | caption = Simon during a 2018 KBL game | position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]] | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 9 | weight_lb = 260 | league = | team = | number = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|08|09}} | birth_place = [[Vernon Hills, Illinois]] | nationality = American | high_school = [[Stevenson High School (Lincolnshire, Illinois)|Adlai E. Stevenson]]<br />([[Lincolnshire, Illinois]]) | college = [[Fort Wayne Mastodons men's basketball|Fort Wayne]] (2001–2005) | draft_year = 2005 | career_start = 2005 | career_end = 2024 | years1 = 2005–2006 | team1 = [[PBC Lukoil Academic|Lukoil Academic]] | years2 = 2006–2007 | team2 = Standart | years3 = 2007–2008 | team3 = [[JDA Dijon Basket|JDA Dijon]] | years4 = 2008–2010 | team4 = [[Strasbourg IG]] | years5 = 2010–2011 | team5 = [[Anyang KGC]] | years6 = 2011–2012 | team6 = [[KK Radnički Kragujevac (2009–2014)|Radnički Kragujevac]] | years7 = 2012–2014 | team7 = [[BC Astana|Astana]] | years8 = 2014–2015 | team8 = [[Wonju Dongbu Promy]] | years9 = 2015–2016 | team9 = [[Seoul SK Knights]] | years10 = 2016 | team10 = [[Tropang TNT]] | years11 = 2016–2018 | team11 = Anyang KGC | years12 = 2018 | team12 = [[Shaanxi Wolves]] | years13 = 2018–2022 | team13 = [[Kyoto Hannaryz]] | years14 = 2022 | team14 = [[Goyang Carrot Jumpers]] | years15 = 2023 | team15 = [[Earthfriends Tokyo Z]] | years16 = 2023 | team16 = [[Shinshu Brave Warriors]] | years17 = 2024 | team17 = [[Fukui Blowinds]] | highlights = * [[Adriatic League MVP]] (2012) * [[Adriatic League Top Scorer]] (2012) * [[Korean Basketball League|KBL]] (2017) * 3× KBL All-Star (2011, 2016, 2018) * KBL All-Defensive First Team (2017) }} '''David Joseph Simon'''<ref>{{cite web |title=David Joseph Simon - Player Profile |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/player/105981/David-Joseph-Simon |website=FIBA.basketball |access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref> (born August 9, 1982) is an American professional [[basketball]] player. He played his collegiate basketball for [[Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne]].
==College career== In his first year as a college player, he averaged 10.6 points per game and 5.8 rebounds. At the end of the year he injured his left knee and went for surgery, but fully recovered for the next season. Before the second season at [[Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne]], he was ranked as the nation's second-best college center, behind [[Emeka Okafor]] of [[University of Connecticut|Connecticut]]. He was named "Pre-Season Independent Player of the Year". Simon was also an All-American Candidate. He declared for the [[2004 NBA draft]] without [[Sports agent|agent]], but tore the [[Anterior cruciate ligament injury|ACL]] on his right knee during the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp and withdrew his name from the early entries into the draft and returned to school. He finished his last college season averaging 16.6 points and 6.9 rebounds. Simon finished as the all time leader in blocked shots and was inducted to the PFW Hall of Fame in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Does Simon Have One More Surprise Left?|url=http://www.netsdaily.com/2005/9/25/1346172/does-simon-have-one-more-surprise|work=NetsDaily|date=25 September 2005 |accessdate=5 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=David Simon|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/11951/david-simon|work=ESPN|access-date=5 June 2012}}</ref>
===College statistics===
{{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2002-03 | style="text-align:left;"| [[Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne|IPFW]] | '''30''' || NA || 23.1 || .580 || .000 || '''.651''' || 5.8 || .7 || .4 || 1.3 || 10.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2003-04 | style="text-align:left;"| IPFW | 28 || NA || 31.4 || '''.584''' || '''1.000''' || .648 || '''9.8''' || 1.6 || '''.8''' || '''1.9''' || '''18.0''' |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2004-05 | style="text-align:left;"| IPFW | 25 || NA || '''32.1''' || .523 || .077 || .633 || 6.9 || '''2.0''' || '''.8''' || '''1.9''' || 16.6 |-class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 83 || NA || 28.6 || .560 || .200 || .643 || 7.5 || 1.4 || .7 || 1.7 || 14.9 {{S-end}}
==Professional career== Simon played for the [[Minnesota Timberwolves|Timberwolves]] at the [[NBA Summer League]] and at the [[New Jersey Nets]] mini camp. On 10 October 2005, Simon signed with [[Bulgaria]]n club [[PBC Lukoil Academic|Lukoil Academic]] which participated in the [[Eurocup Basketball|ULEB Cup]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Mladenova |first=Kremena |title=David Simon in LukOil Academic |url=http://www.24sec.net/article.asp?index=2676 |work=24sec.net |accessdate=5 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051220085322/http://www.24sec.net/article.asp?index=2676 |archivedate=December 20, 2005 }}</ref> In the mid of the season he said
<blockquote>I needed game like this one, to play well and show I can do well. After the end of ULEB Cup I would like to stay here and hopefully everything will be ok. For now I want to concentrate and play well in ULEB and Bulgarian championship as well.<ref>{{cite web|title=David Simon: "I needed game like this one,to show I can play well|url=http://bgbasket.com/en/new.php?id=6051|work=BG basket|accessdate=5 June 2012}}</ref></blockquote>
In the [[National Basketball League (Bulgaria)|Bulgarian]] league he averaged 11.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while in the ULEB Cup he averaged 7.6 points and 7.8 rebounds for 25 minutes on the floor.<ref>{{cite web|title=David Joseph Simon |url=http://en.basketball.doudiz.com/player/21702/David-Joseph-Simon.html |work=Doubdiz Basket |accessdate=5 June 2012 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121230221809/http://en.basketball.doudiz.com/player/21702/David-Joseph-Simon.html |archivedate=December 30, 2012 }}</ref> In 2006 he signed for [[Russia]]n club Standart Samarskiy Region and stayed for one season. Over 14 games in the [[Russian Basketball Super League|Russian Super League]], he averaged 11.1 points and 6.9 rebounds (7th in the league). However, he left the team midseason to go to France and Standart finished 13th and relegated into lower league.<ref>{{cite web |title=Summary - Russian Super League - Season 2006-07 |url=http://en.basketball.doudiz.com/competition-summary/866927.html |work=Doudiz Basket |accessdate=5 June 2012 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223171039/http://en.basketball.doudiz.com/competition-summary/866927.html |archivedate=23 December 2011 }}</ref>
He then played for French teams, both members of [[LNB Pro A]] League, [[JDA Dijon Basket|Dijon]] and [[Strasbourg IG|Strasbourg]] till 2010. For Dijon he played one game in Eurocup, where he scored 18 points, while for Strasbourg he played in [[EuroChallenge]], where over 6 games he averaged 17.8 points and 8.3 rebounds.<ref>{{cite web|title=David Joseph Simon Player Profile (2009-2010) |url=http://en.basketball.doudiz.com/player-season/21702/899892.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102102128/http://en.basketball.doudiz.com/player-season/21702/899892.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2 January 2013 |work=Doudiz Basket |accessdate=5 June 2012 }}</ref> In 2010, he signed with the [[Anyang KGC]] of the [[Korean Basketball League]] where he would go on to make his first All-Star team.
In August 2011, Simon signed a one-year deal with [[KK Radnički Kragujevac (2009–2014)|Radnički Kragujevac]].<ref>[http://www.sportando.net/eng/europe/adriatic-league/30562/radnicki-adds-size-with-david-simon.html Radnicki adds size with David Simon] at sportando.net</ref> Due to the NBA lockout that year, many NBA players were in the ABA that season. With that, Simon was named [[Adriatic League MVP]] and was [[Adriatic League Top Scorer|the league's top scorer]], averaging 19.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
On 11 June 2012, Simon signed a one-year contract with the [[BC Astana|Astana]], along with [[Andreas Glyniadakis]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Carchia|first=E.|title=BC Astana land David Simon and Andreas Glyniadakis|url=http://www.sportando.net/eng/europe/other-leagues/39517/bc-astana-land-david-simon-and-andreas-glyniadakis.html|work=Sportando|accessdate=18 June 2012}}</ref> In April 2013, he extended his contract for one more season.<ref>{{cite web|title=BC Astana keeps Brion Rush and David Simon|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/cups/vtb-league/100794/bc-astana-keeps-brion-rush-and-david-simon.html|website=sportando.net|accessdate=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715052315/http://www.sportando.com/en/cups/vtb-league/100794/bc-astana-keeps-brion-rush-and-david-simon.html|archive-date=15 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2014 he returned to the [[Korean Basketball League]] with [[Wonju DB Promy]], earning his second KBL All Star Bid and leading them to the Finals. The next season he signed with [[Seoul SK Knights]] of the KBL, making another All Star game averaging 20.5ppg and 9rpg. On February 19, 2016, Simon was signed by [[Tropang TNT]] as the team's new import, replacing the suspended [[Ivan Johnson (basketball)|Ivan Johnson]] where he averaged 24.5ppg and 15.5rpg.<ref>{{ cite news |last=Sacamos |first=Karlo |title=Tropang TNT finds new import in 33-year-old journeyman David Simon |url=http://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/news/tropang-tnt-finds-new-import-in-33-year-old-journeyman-david-simon |work=Spin.ph |date=February 19, 2016 |accessdate=February 20, 2016 }}</ref>
In 2016 he signed with Anyang KGC back in the KBL. He led the team with 26.3ppg and 9.6rpg to a regular season championship as well as the [[2016-2017 KBL Season]] Championship title. The next season he would earn another All Star appearance as well as the KBL Scoring title averaging 26.1ppg and 10.8rpg. In April 2018, Simon was released from Anyang shortly after the KBL implemented a rule on foreign players. The KBL allows each team to have two foreign-born players on their rosters with neither taller than 200 centimeters. Simon was two centimeters over the limit. The move was made to combat declining league attendance, however it was met with much criticism which landed him with an interview on ESPN's [[Outside the Lines]]. [http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/ct-spt-too-tall-players-south-korean-basketball-league-20180412-story.html].
He went on to play 4 seasons, 2018-2022 in the Japanese [[B.League]] for [[Kyoto Hannaryz]], being top 5 in scoring each of his 4 seasons. In July of 2022 he signed with the Goyang Carrot Jumpers back in the KBL. In March of 2023, he signed with Tokyo Z of the Japanese B2 League.
In October of 2023, he signed with [[Shinshu Brave Warriors]] of the Japanese [[B.League]].
==European career statistics== {{Euroleague player statistics legend}}
===Adriatic league=== {{Euroleague player statistics start}} |- | align="left" | [[2011–12 Liga ABA|2011–12]] | align="left" | [[KK Radnički Kragujevac (2009–2014)|Radnički]] | 26 || 26 || 29.2 || .637 || .300 || .575 || 6.5 || 1.2 || 1.0 || 1.4 || 19.4 || 22.3 |-class="sortbottom" | align="left" | Career | align="left" | | 26 || 26 || 29.2 || .637 || .300 || .575 || 6.5 || 1.2 || 1.0 || 1.4 || 19.4 || 22.3 {{s-end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://basketball.asia-basket.com/player/David_Simon/54367 David Simon] at eurobasket.com * [https://web.archive.org/web/20141129145837/http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/gamecent/p/pid/6005445/playerview.html David Simon] at FIBA.com * [https://archive.today/20131122033458/http://www.abaliga.com/player/2094 David Simon] at abaliga.com
{{ABA League MVPs}} {{ABA League scoring leaders}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simon, David}} [[Category:1982 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]] [[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]] [[Category:ABA League players]] [[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Bulgaria]] [[Category:American expatriate basketball people in China]] [[Category:American expatriate basketball people in France]] [[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Japan]] [[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Kazakhstan]] [[Category:American expatriate basketball people in the Philippines]] [[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Russia]] [[Category:American expatriate basketball people in Serbia]] [[Category:American expatriate basketball people in South Korea]] [[Category:American men's basketball players]] [[Category:Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters players]] [[Category:BC Astana players]] [[Category:Centers (basketball)]] [[Category:Earthfriends Tokyo Z players]] [[Category:Goyang Sono Skygunners players]] [[Category:JDA Dijon Basket players]] [[Category:KK Radnički Kragujevac (2009–2014) players]] [[Category:Kyoto Hannaryz players]] [[Category:PBC Academic players]] [[Category:People from Vernon Hills, Illinois]] [[Category:Philippine Basketball Association imports]] [[Category:Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons men's basketball players]] [[Category:Seoul SK Knights players]] [[Category:Shinshu Brave Warriors players]] [[Category:SIG Strasbourg players]] [[Category:Basketball players from Lake County, Illinois]] [[Category:TNT Tropang 5G players]] [[Category:Wonju DB Promy players]] [[Category:Shaanxi Wolves players]] [[Category:Fukui Blowinds players]] [[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]] [[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]