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DeShawn Sims

RCSI: 33 (2006)
Height: 6'8" (203 cm)
Weight: 230 lbs (104 kg)
Position: PF
High School: Pershing High School (Michigan)
Hometown: Detroit, MI
College: Michigan
Current Team: Chieti
Win - Loss: 1 - 2

Articles

Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, Day One

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Kyle Nelson
Kyle Nelson
Joseph Treutlein
Joseph Treutlein
Apr 08, 2010, 01:54 pm
DeShawn Sims had a rough game to start things off, putting up solid numbers with 16 points on 8-for-17 shooting to go along with 9 rebounds, but his team got crushed 90-56, with the game being out of reach within five minutes of tip off. Sims did most of his damage finishing with athleticism in transition, while he struggled in the halfcourt, settling for tough fade-away jumpers from mid to long range, and not doing must damage in the post. He did a good job hitting his spot-up shots from 15-to-20 feet, but clearly needs to improve on his shot selection, as he's way too inaccurate with some of the shots he frequently relies on.

Top NBA Prospects in the Big Ten, Part Three (#11-15)

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Kyle Nelson
Kyle Nelson
Joseph Treutlein
Joseph Treutlein
Joey Whelan
Joey Whelan
Sep 03, 2009, 01:01 pm
DeShawn Sims had a somewhat inconsistent junior season, but compared to what he gave in the two years prior, his play was a welcome improvement for the Wolverines, as his stats improved across the board, both in regards to production and efficiency. Sims played a major part in Michigan's turnaround season, and helped lead them to multiple top-25 victories and a win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

As an offensive player, Sims has a versatile skillset for a power forward, being able to score inside and out with a variety of weapons. In the post, Sims has a deadly turnaround jumper he can finish over either shoulder, and at times it looks like it can't miss. He uses his jumper moving to the baseline or back into the lane, with range out to at least 15 feet, and it doesn't matter if there's a hand in his face. In addition to this, Sims shows flashes of other moves, including a right-handed hook shot and a rangy dropstep, but he can be inconsistent with them as his post awareness isn't always great, specifically when dealing with double teams. To his credit, when he gets into his comfort zone, his coordination and footwork actually look quite good, but he doesn't seem to consistently be able to make full use of his repertoire.

As a face-up player, Sims has no problem shooting his mid-range jumper right in his defender's face, but he struggles when trying to go off the dribble, looking uncomfortable with his left hand and while he's better with his right hand, he still can't muster more than a few awkward straight line dribbles. His first step is pretty good for his size, however, and he takes long strides with the ball, so this is something he could further develop.

As an outside shooter, Sims has the foundation of good shooting mechanics, with a high release and solid enough release speed, but he's prone to not holding his follow through at times, and he's still inconsistent from behind the arc.

While Sims is a skilled player with pretty good physical tools, he doesn't always take full advantage of these things, showing an inconsistent energy level in all areas of his game. At times he will be fighting extremely hard for post position, moving all around the floor to get open, and making hard, decisive moves with the ball, but just as often he's content to just let the game come to him, and doesn't show much physicality or assertiveness. While he isn't a great athlete, you get the feeling he doesn't always play to his athletic potential, being very much a below the rim player who doesn't try to create much contact or finish through people around the basket. This lack of energy shows in other areas of his game as well, as he clearly doesn't rebound the way a player with his size, mobility, and hands should.

Defensively, Sims has solid lateral quickness to defend opposing 4's on the perimeter, but he doesn't deal with quick changes of direction very well, being somewhat stiff in his movements. Sims' biggest problem on defense seems to be constantly staying focused and sticking with his man off the ball, as he's prone to lapses.

Looking to the next level, Sims should get some looks in the second round and will definitely have chances to improve his stock throughout the season, at pre-draft camps, and in workouts, but scouts would probably like to see more consistency and killer instinct from Sims, who even after making big strides in his junior season, still isn't playing at his potential on a nightly basis. Adding some base strength, working on his explosiveness around the basket, and continuing to develop his outside jumper should be among his priorities, all of which could help his stock in the draft.

NCAA Weekly Performers, 12/11/2008, Part One

Rodger Bohn
Rodger Bohn
Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Scott Nadler
Scott Nadler
Kyle Nelson
Kyle Nelson
Dec 11, 2008, 04:07 am
As a heralded recruit coming out of high school, expectations were quite high for DeShawn Sims when he made his arrival in Ann Arbor. Two lackluster seasons for the Wolverines mixed with inconsistent play and horrible shot selection from Sims left little room for optimism for the junior. However, he has made a complete 180 with his play this season thus far, shooting 16 percent higher from the field and leading his team to two victories over top 5 opponents.

For starters, Sims passes the look test of a solid power forward prospect, minus a few inches. Although only 6’8, he has a very long wingspan and a massive frame. Already at a muscular 235 pounds, he has plenty of room to bulk up more if desired. Sims is a good, but not great athlete in terms of both running the floor and getting off of the ground. It’s pretty surprising to see a player who is approaching 240 pounds get up and down the floor with the coordination that he does. However, he doesn’t have the world’s best lateral quickness when defending players who opt to face the basket.

Much of Sims' offensive game centers around his ability to shoot the ball. Perfectly capable of knocking down jumpers from both mid-range and beyond the arc, he shows off good form and nice range for a power forward. The Detroit native's consistency from the three point line needs to continue to improve, but his accuracy is good enough for the time being to keep opposing defenders honest.

Inside, Sims has shown off a very soft touch when going to work in the post. Capable of finishing with either hand around the basket, he has shown glimpses of a nice jump hook turning towards both shoulders. His go-to move remains his turnaround jumper on the blocks, though.

The large hands that the Detroit native owns help him greatly in terms of finishing in the paint, both in transition and in half court sets. He catches even the hardest of passes inside, finishing with a dunk whenever possible. In transition, he runs the floor well and is usually able to beat his man down the floor for at least one easy bucket each game.

When Sims looks to attack the basket, it’s mostly two or three dribbles in a straight line. He isn’t a player who is going to break you down with creative scoring moves off of the dribble, but can take slower big men off of the dribble with his solid first step.

One of the major problems that plagued Sims throughout this first two years at Michigan was his tendency to fall in love with the outside jumpshot. While he has been much better with this issue throughout this team’s first few games, there are still many instances in which he would be better served making a power move towards the rim rather than settling for a tough fadeaway out of the post. He’s regardless gone from a horrid 39% from the field to a very solid 55% this season—one of the main reasons he’ll be drawing much more attention.

Michigan’s now patented zone makes it a bit challenging to evaluate Sims’ man to man defense on a consistent basis. There’s no denying that he has the physical gifts to defend opposing power forwards on the blocks, but he appears a bit heavy footed when defending the perimeter. He’s certainly learning to play smarter defense, as he’s not getting into the same type of foul trouble he did earlier in his career. The question remains whether or not he has the desire to defend with regularity. He has been a solid rebounder this season averaging 8.4 boards a game, despite posting poor numbers in this area throughout his first two years.

Sims’ consistency and ability to play winning basketball this year will eventually determine the type of NBA interest he receives at the conclusion of this season. He and Manny Harris have firmly placed themselves on the NBA radar with their huge upsets on center stage, and will have the opportunity to further bolster their draft stock with strong play. For now, Sims has done a very nice job of doing so.

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