CHICAGO — ESPN cameras captured Kobi Simmons’ move to point guard during the NBA combine, while his athleticism was obvious in testing results posted online.
Yet the most important thing the former UA guard did at the combine probably came behind closed doors.
Simmons met with about 10 teams privately, answering questions about himself and what happened during his only year with the Arizona Wildcats.
Why he, as a five-star recruit, played a big reserve role right away, then started 19 games … and then slipped almost completely out of the playing rotation in the final month.
Was it his fault? A falling out with UA coach Sean Miller? Allonzo Trier’s return and emergence?
Simmons wasn’t getting into that sort of detail, at least not publicly.
“I showcased my talent at the beginning,” Simmons said. “They (NBA teams) want to know what happened at the end but I said coach (Miller) told me to be ready for my time and this is my chance to shine right now.”
Since it’s still largely unclear what happened, that’s where Simmons is going with all that: moving forward. He’s in the NBA draft pool now, a projected late second-round pick, and didn’t appear terribly interested in talking about the past.
“I’m not even thinking about Arizona anymore,” Simmons said. “I’m on to the next level. I’ll definitely let (NBA teams) know what happened, what coach has been saying and how I view it, but I’m not a part of Arizona now. I’ll always be a Wildcat. I’ll never forget that. But right now I’m focusing on the next level.”
Of course, Simmons could hardly forget that he is a Wildcat at the NBA combine this week. Not only did he play against Kadeem Allen on Friday, with Rawle Alkins playing in other combine games, but Simmons was playing for a team with former Wildcat player and assistant coach Matt Brase on its coaching staff.
Those two appeared to hit it off. Simmons said he was building a relationship with Brase, who called Simmons a “great guy” and said he was impressed with Simmons as he transitioned to point guard at the combine.
While Simmons was initially expected to play both guard positions last season for Arizona, leaving Allen free to play off the ball, Simmons wound up playing almost exclusively off the ball while Miller summoned Allen to team with Parker Jackson-Cartwright at the point.
“I can’t look back on it,” Simmons said of his UA role. “But right now I am playing point guard and this is my chance to show it. … I think I did a pretty decent job.”
In his first game Thursday, Simmons had five assists, three turnovers and only three points. On Friday, he had 14 points on 4-for-8 shooting, four assists and two turnovers.
“He looked more confident,” Brase said of Simmons after Friday’s game. “He played a little restricted (Thursday) and played not to make mistakes. Today he was loose and free. He made good plays and defended really well. It was a much better day for him.”
While Brase has experience coaching at both the NBA and D-League levels with the Rockets, he said he wasn’t sure where Simmons stands entering the draft. Brase said he sees potential in Simmons, who is still only 19.
“It’s all based on team and fit, but I like what he’s got,” Brase said. “He has good length if he stays as a point guard. I think that’s the position he needs to be at. He needs to get a little stronger in traffic, but the kid’s talented.”
It was a quick turnaround, from not playing point guard virtually at all with the Wildcats to running a team full of NBA prospects in the combine. But Simmons says he has been playing point guard “my whole life” and is confident that he can go back to that role in the pros.
That’s exactly what he says he’s telling the NBA staffers, anyway.
“I say I’m a point guard,” Simmons said. “I can play off the ball. I can play combo guard. But primarily I definitely am a point guard. … I’m showing them I can play point guard and I can guard my position. I can push the pace and run the team.
“In school, I played the two so they definitely see I can play off the ball. But I’m definitely a point guard.”
Clearly, it’s one topic Simmons has no problem discussing.
