American · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA · Born 14 November 1968Lionel Simmons became one of the few NCAA players to score 3,000+ career points and grab 1,100+ rebounds, capped by a unanimous 1990 Player of the Year season.
Lionel James Simmons was born on 14 November 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and led South Philadelphia High School to a Philadelphia Public League championship before enrolling at La Salle University in 1986. He turned down an early opportunity to leave for the NBA, choosing to stay at La Salle to complete his degree and pursue a national title, a decision that paid off across a legendary four-year career. Simmons became the first player in NCAA history to score more than 3,000 points while also grabbing more than 1,100 rebounds, finishing his career with 3,217 points - fifth on the all-time NCAA scoring list at the time. He set the NCAA record for most consecutive games scoring in double figures (115) and led La Salle to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1988 to 1990, compiling a 100-31 overall record across his four seasons and three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles. In his senior season, Simmons led the nation in scoring at 28.4 points per game and was unanimously named the 1990 National Player of the Year, sweeping the Wooden, Naismith, AP, and NABC awards while earning consensus first-team All-American honors for a second consecutive year. He remains La Salle's and the Philadelphia Big 5's all-time leading scorer, and was selected seventh overall in the 1990 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings, where he played all seven of his NBA seasons. He was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and remains active in Philadelphia community service.
La Salle's all-time leading scorer, 1990 consensus National Player of the Year
How They Played
Versatile scoring forward known for remarkable consistency, an efficient all-around game, and the rare ability to combine elite scoring with elite rebounding
Lasting Impact
Regarded as one of the greatest scorers in college basketball history and the finest player in La Salle and Philadelphia Big 5 history, whose statistical combination of scoring and rebounding volume remains unmatched
Career Honours
- National Player of the Year 1990
- Consensus first-team All-American 1990
- 3x MAAC Player of the Year
American Athletes