Anfernee Simons is one of the most dissected high school prospects in recent years as the five-star prospect out of IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) has the chance to forge a non-traditional path by forgoing his college eligibility and jumping straight to this June’s NBA Draft. A year removed from his high school’s graduation and of the appropriate age, Simons has the opportunity to earn millions this summer or instead, play for a college program of his choosing.
He has agreed to take part in a weekly journal for Rivals.com, discussing his life at IMG Academy, his future on the hardwood and much more.
What’s up, guys? This is Anfernee Simons, here for my first journal entry for Rivals.com. I am excited to take you guys with me on my journey up until my final decision for the NBA Draft.
Everything has been going well lately at IMG. Every day, we wake up and go lift weights around 10 and then we have practice around 2, so everything is pretty much a strict schedule. I like it a lot because it lets me focus every day on my goals in life instead of having outside distractions.
It has been pretty different since it is my first time away from home. It is helping me with my independence and being able to take care of myself without my parents being there.
They have four gyms here, which is something that I really like, so you can go in and play and work out whenever you really want.
I have just been trying to get better every day and I am not really trying to focus on the NBA, but it has been on my mind since I want to get to that point. I use it as fuel to get better every day.
This weekend I am going to NC State. I am excited to just see what they do every day. They play North Carolina on Saturday. It should be a pretty good game.
A lot of others schools are talking to me, too. Florida, NC State, Tennessee, Minnesota, Dayton, FGCU, Arizona State, Florida State, Georgetown, Boston College, UCF and many others.
I haven’t really focused on the NBA much. I am just trying to finish out my prep season on a good note, get better every day, and really help us get to the prep school national championship. I want to end the season without losing so we can make the tournament.
My mindset hasn’t changed from before. I was trying to get scholarship offers for college but now I am just trying to show the NBA who I am as a person and as a player and if I do that, I am going to be all right.
People have told me they think that I am an explosive guard that can score and shoot and they want someone that can do stuff like that. I think being so young really intrigues them the most.
The process might be a little drawn out. Even if I go to college, I probably won’t get there until the summer, most likely, after the deadline. I honestly won’t commit until it comes to decide in May.
For me, it is going to be about the feedback that I get from what people are telling me. I am just hoping that I can get some workouts with some NBA teams and most likely I will make my decision sometime in the spring after I train and get my workouts in and get ready for the combine. I don’t know where I am going to train yet.
That’s about it for now but I hope you all enjoyed my first entry.
See you guys next time.
– As told to Corey Evans
