{{short description|American basketball player}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Troy Simons | image = Troy Simons, Polk State College.jpg | image_size = | caption = Simons in 2016 | position = Shooting guard | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3 | weight_lb = 195 | league = | team = Free agent | number = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|7|3}} | birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | high_school = *Brashear<br>(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) *University Prep<br>(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) *Imani Christian Academy<br>(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) *Renaissance Academy<br>(Phoenixville, Pennsylvania) | college = *Polk State (2015–2017) *New Mexico (2017–2018) *Kent State (2019–2020) | draft_year = 2020 | career_start = 2020 | years1 = 2020–2021 | team1 = Tigers Tübingen | years2 = 2021–2022 | team2 = Kharkivski Sokoly | years3 = 2022–2023 | team3 = Plymouth City Patriots | years4 = 2023 | team4 = U.D. Oliveirense | years5 = 2024 | team5 = Killester | highlights = *Super League All-Star Third Team (2024) *NJCAA scoring champion (2017) }} '''Troy Simons''' (born July 3, 1996) is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Polk State College, New Mexico and Kent State.
==Early life and high school career== Simons grew up in Pittsburgh and attended four high schools: Brashear, University Prep, Imani Christian Academy, and Renaissance Academy Charter School in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.<ref name="psaros">{{cite news |last1=Psaros |first1=Harry |title=Troy Simon's Mentor Discusses His Journey to Pitt |url=https://pittsburghsportsnow.com/2017/03/11/troy-simons-mentor-discusses-journey-pitt/ |accessdate=September 12, 2020 |work=Pittsburgh Sports Now |date=March 11, 2017}}</ref> He was a two-sport athlete, playing wide receiver on the football team in addition to basketball.<ref name="signing" /> Renaissance Academy Charter School closed during the fall of his senior year.<ref name="everett">{{cite news |last1=Everett |first1=Brad |title=Hill District native Troy Simons' wild basketball journey takes him to Germany |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/high-school-basketball/2021/07/15/dream-pro-am-basketball-league-troy-simons-hill-district-native-germany-pro-basketball/stories/202107140005 |access-date=December 2, 2021 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=July 15, 2021}}</ref> When Simons attempted to transfer back to University Prep, he was ruled ineligible and missed his senior season of basketball. He considered attending prep school at Montverde Academy, but instead chose Polk State College after his mentor Rico Abbondanza sent film to coach Matt Furjanic<ref name="psaros" />
==College career== Simons played two seasons at Polk State. He averaged 17.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game as a freshman.<ref name="schmidt" /> As a sophomore, he led the NJCAA in scoring with 26.3 points per game while also posting 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, shooting 41 percent from three-point range.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kent State men's basketball picks up transfer from New Mexico |url=https://www.record-courier.com/sports/20180608/kent-state-mens-basketball-picks-up-transfer-from-new-mexico |accessdate=September 12, 2020 |work=Record-Courier |date=June 8, 2018}}</ref> He was named first team All-Suncoast Conference and to the FCSAA/NJCAA Region VIII All-State Team and participated in the 2017 NJCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game.<ref>{{cite web |title=Troy Simons named to NJCAA All-Star Game |url=https://www.polkeagles.com/sports/mbkb/2016-17/releases/20170413otpeo2 |website=Polk State College Eagles |accessdate=September 12, 2020 |date=April 13, 2017}}</ref> Simons initially committed to Middle Tennessee State before his sophomore season before de-committing and signed with Pittsburgh in March 2017 over offers from Iowa State and Cincinnati.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Meyer |first1=Craig |title=Top junior college scorer Troy Simons commits to Pitt basketball |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2017/03/06/troy-simons-pitt-juco-transfer-university-prep/stories/201703060131 |accessdate=September 12, 2020 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=March 6, 2017}}</ref> Due to a communication issue, he changed his commitment to New Mexico.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Grammer |first1=Geoff |title=Lobos sign high-scoring JC guard Simons |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/989285/lobos-sign-high-scoring-jc-guard-simons.html |accessdate=September 12, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=April 17, 2017}}</ref>
Simons scored a season-high 24 points on November 14, 2017, in a 103–71 win against Omaha.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rosales |first1=Glen |title=New Mexico Lobos romp past Omaha |url=https://durangoherald.com/articles/194759 |accessdate=September 12, 2020 |work=Durango Herald |agency=Associated Press |date=November 14, 2017}}</ref> On January 5, 2018, he was issued a one-game suspension by the Mountain West Conference after receiving a technical foul and ejected against Boise State.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chester |first1=Jared |title=MWC Hands Troy Simons a One-Game Suspension prior to Saturdays game with San Jose State |url=https://www.krqe.com/news/mwc-hands-troy-simons-a-one-game-suspension-prior-to-saturdays-game-with-san-jose-state/ |accessdate=September 12, 2020 |work=KRQE |date=January 5, 2018}}</ref> As a junior, Simons averaged 9.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game and led the Lobos with 52 steals. After the season, Simons transferred to Kent State.<ref name="signing">{{cite web |title=Men's Basketball Announces the Signing of Troy Simons |url=https://kentstatesports.com/news/2018/6/8/mens-basketball-announces-the-signing-of-troy-simons.aspx |website=Kent State Golden Flashes |accessdate=September 12, 2020 |date=June 8, 2018}}</ref> He posted a season-high 27 points on February 15, 2020, in an 87–72 win against Ohio.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kent St. rides Williamson's scoring burst to beat Ohio |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401172691 |accessdate=September 12, 2020 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=February 15, 2020}}</ref> Simons averaged 12.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a senior, shooting 39 percent from three-point range.<ref>{{cite web |title=Troy Simons signs with Tigers Tübingen |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/troy-simons-signs-with-tigers-tu%CC%88bingen/ |website=Sportando |accessdate=September 12, 2020 |date=September 11, 2020}}</ref>
==Professional career== On September 11, 2020, Simons signed his first professional contract with Tigers Tübingen of the ProA.<ref name="schmidt">{{cite web |last1=Schmidt-Scheuber |first1=Miles |title=The Tigers Tuebingen Get Troy Simons |url=https://www.eurobasket.com/Germany/news/644126/The-Tigers-Tuebingen-Get-Troy-Simons |website=Eurobasket |accessdate=September 12, 2020 |date=September 11, 2020}}</ref> He averaged 11.3 points per game as a rookie.<ref name="everett" />
For the 2021–22 season, Simons joined Kharkivski Sokoly of the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague.<ref>{{cite web |title="Prometey" had almost no problem in Kharkiv |url=https://prometeybc.com/en/novosti/prometey-had-almost-no-problem-kharkiv |website=BC Prometey |access-date=December 2, 2021}}</ref> In February 2022, he left Ukraine and joined the Plymouth City Patriots of the British Basketball League.<ref>{{cite web |title=Plymouth City Patriots take on the London Lions twice in one weekend |url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/other-sport/plymouth-city-patriots-take-london-6733461 |website=Plymouth Live |access-date=April 5, 2022}}</ref>
Simons re-joined the Plymouth City Patriots for the 2022–23 season, but left the team in January 2023 to play out the season with U.D. Oliveirense of the Portuguese League.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Troy-Simons/394513|title=Troy Simons|work=eurobasket.com|access-date=July 11, 2024|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
In January 2024, Simons joined Killester of the Irish Super League.<ref name=escaping-ukraine>{{cite web|last=Lennon|first=Barry|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/from-escaping-ukraine-war-to-chasing-league-title-for-killester-troy-simons-seeking-basketball-treble/a1865010486.html|title=From escaping Ukraine war to chasing league title for Killester – Troy Simons seeking basketball treble|work=Irish Independent|date=April 13, 2024|access-date=July 11, 2024}}</ref> He helped the team reach the Super League final in April 2024<ref>{{cite web|last=Diallo|first=Raf|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/basketball/2024/0411/1442981-from-a-hasty-exit-out-of-ukraine-to-a-final-in-dublin/|title=From a hasty exit out of Ukraine to a final in Dublin, Troy Simons is aiming to cap a fast start at Killester|work=RTÉ|date=April 14, 2024|access-date=July 11, 2024}}</ref> and was named to the All-Star Third Team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ireland.basketball/-national-league-all-star-teams-revealed-for-2023-24-season|title=National League All-Star teams revealed for 2023/24 season|work=Basketball Ireland|date=April 12, 2024|access-date=July 11, 2024}}</ref> He averaged 21 points per game.<ref name="escaping-ukraine" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://golobos.com/roster/troy-simons/ New Mexico Lobos bio] *[https://kentstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/troy-simons/11268 Kent State Golden Flashes bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simons, Troy}} Category:1996 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:American expatriate basketball people in Germany Category:American expatriate basketball people in Ireland Category:American expatriate basketball people in Ukraine Category:American expatriate basketball people in the United Kingdom Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball players from Pittsburgh Category:Junior college men's basketball players in the United States Category:Kent State Golden Flashes men's basketball players Category:Plymouth City Patriots players Category:Polk State College alumni Category:New Mexico Lobos men's basketball players Category:Shooting guards Category:Tigers Tübingen players