# Anfernee Simons
**Anfernee Simons** (born 1999) is an American professional basketball player, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound shooting guard for the [Philadelphia 76ers](https://www.edgepedia.org/philadelphia-76ers) of the NBA. He entered the league straight from a post-graduate year at [IMG Academy](https://www.edgepedia.org/img-academy) as the 24th overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, spent seven seasons with the [Portland Trail Blazers](https://www.edgepedia.org/portland-trail-blazers), and signed a two-year, $12.3 million contract with Philadelphia in July 2026 after a season split between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls.[1](https://www.nba.com/news/anfernee-simons-sixers-free-agency-2026) • [2](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1629014/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1999, USA; 6'3" (1.91 m), 200 lb (91 kg)[2](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1629014/) |
| Draft | 2018 NBA Draft, first round, 24th overall, by the Portland Trail Blazers[3](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/simonan01.html) |
| Portland career | 15.0 points and 3.0 assists per game over seven seasons[1](https://www.nba.com/news/anfernee-simons-sixers-free-agency-2026) |
| 2025-26 season | 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists over 55 games with Boston and Chicago; 38.5% on three-pointers[1](https://www.nba.com/news/anfernee-simons-sixers-free-agency-2026) • [4](https://www.phillyvoice.com/sixers-film-news-analysis-anfernee-simons-shooting-stats-highlights-contract-quentin-grimes-nba-free-agency/) |
| Three-point volume | At least 12.5 three-point attempts per 100 possessions in six consecutive seasons; career 38.1% from long range[4](https://www.phillyvoice.com/sixers-film-news-analysis-anfernee-simons-shooting-stats-highlights-contract-quentin-grimes-nba-free-agency/) |
| Age-26 threes record | 1,097 made three-pointers, 11th in NBA history among players age 26 or younger[5](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/bulls.pdf?tid=1736569615503) |
| Current contract | Two years, $12.3 million with Philadelphia, signed July 6, 2026, with a player option in the second season[1](https://www.nba.com/news/anfernee-simons-sixers-free-agency-2026) |
| 2026 salary | $27,678,571 in the final year of his previous deal[3](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/simonan01.html) |
## Early life and the prep-school path
Simons attended Edgewater High School in [Orlando, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/orlando-florida), then spent a post-graduate year at IMG Academy in [Bradenton, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/bradenton-florida), in 2017-18 instead of playing college basketball.[2](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1629014/) • [6](https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Anfernee-Simons/Bio/106511) The choice made him one of the least-scouted prospects in the 2018 draft class: NBA teams invest few resources in evaluating high school players, so there was little tape of him against high-level competition, and he declined to scrimmage at the draft combine.[7](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/schools-cant-offer-that-how-nba-drafts-biggest-mystery-spent-his-year-skipping-college/2018/06/20/f39bcce0-74b9-11e8-805c-4b67019fcfe4_story.html) The Washington Post called him the draft's biggest mystery.[7](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/schools-cant-offer-that-how-nba-drafts-biggest-mystery-spent-his-year-skipping-college/2018/06/20/f39bcce0-74b9-11e8-805c-4b67019fcfe4_story.html)
IMG Academy described its post-graduate program as different from a standard high school year, and pre-draft scouting reports framed him as an explosive shooting guard with upside tied to his athleticism and scoring, while noting he lacked ideal size for the position and was not a true point guard.[8](https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/6/24/17496278/anfernee-simons-trail-blazers-img-academy-nba-draft) • [9](https://www.si.com/nba/2018/06/15/anfernee-simons-nba-draft-2018-scouting-report-highlights-strengths-mock-draft)
## Portland Trail Blazers (2018-2025)
Portland selected Simons 24th overall in 2018, and he developed there for seven seasons, averaging 15.0 points and 3.0 assists per game for the franchise.[1](https://www.nba.com/news/anfernee-simons-sixers-free-agency-2026) His Portland years produced the scoring peaks that defined his reputation: a 34-point, career-high 14-assist game at Minnesota in March 2022 made him one of five NBA players that season with 34-plus points and 14-plus assists in a game, alongside Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Tyrese Haliburton, and [Trae Young](https://www.edgepedia.org/trae-young).[10](https://www.nba.com/player/1629014/anfernee-simons/bio) A 30-point, nine-assist game at Chicago in March 2022 was his 30th career game with at least 30 points, moving him to ninth in Trail Blazers history in that category.[10](https://www.nba.com/player/1629014/anfernee-simons/bio)
In 2024-25, his final Portland season, he appeared in 70 games.[2](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1629014/)
## Boston and Chicago (2025-26)
In June 2025, Boston traded [Jrue Holiday](https://www.edgepedia.org/jrue-holiday) to Portland for Simons and two second-round picks, the first step in dismantling the Celtics' championship roster under salary-cap pressure.[11](https://www.nba.com/news/celtics-blazers-trade-jrue-holiday-anfernee-simons) When the trade was made official in July 2025, the two second-round picks had been withdrawn after concerns raised during Holiday's medical examinations, leaving a straight one-for-one player swap.[12](https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/jrue-holiday-celtics-blazers-trade-amendment-draft-picks-nba/) Simons carried a $27.7 million expiring contract, and Boston explored flipping him for further salary relief before the season.[3](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/simonan01.html)
Simons appeared in 49 games for Boston before the Bulls acquired him during a season in which Chicago traded away most of its stars and rebuilt around young talent.[1](https://www.nba.com/news/anfernee-simons-sixers-free-agency-2026) • [13](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/04/21/billy-donovan-steps-down-chicago-bulls-head-coach-rebuild-reinsdorf) His Chicago debut at Toronto on February 5 included six made three-pointers, making him the first player to make six three-point field goals in a Bulls debut.[5](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/bulls.pdf?tid=1736569615503) Across the two stops he averaged 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 55 games, shooting 38.5 percent from three.[1](https://www.nba.com/news/anfernee-simons-sixers-free-agency-2026) • [4](https://www.phillyvoice.com/sixers-film-news-analysis-anfernee-simons-shooting-stats-highlights-contract-quentin-grimes-nba-free-agency/)
## Philadelphia 76ers (2026-present)
Simons signed a two-year, $12.3 million deal with a second-year player option, officially inked on July 6, 2026, less than 24 hours after Philadelphia acquired [Jaylen Brown](https://www.edgepedia.org/jaylen-brown) from Boston.[1](https://www.nba.com/news/anfernee-simons-sixers-free-agency-2026) The Sixers, who finished in the bottom third of the NBA in three-point volume and efficiency the previous season, added him as a high-volume shooter for a core of Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe.[1](https://www.nba.com/news/anfernee-simons-sixers-free-agency-2026) • [4](https://www.phillyvoice.com/sixers-film-news-analysis-anfernee-simons-shooting-stats-highlights-contract-quentin-grimes-nba-free-agency/) He is expected to head the second unit.[14](https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2026/10/14/guia-nba-2026-funcionara-el-megaproyecto-de-los-sixers-como-le-ira-a-doncic-sin-lebron-que-espanol-tendra-mas-protagonismo-cadena-ser/)
## Playing style
**Shooting is the defining skill.** Simons has shot at least 12.5 three-pointers per 100 possessions in six consecutive seasons, and the majority of his three-point attempts have come off the dribble, often on difficult pull-up shots; his career mark is 38.1 percent.[4](https://www.phillyvoice.com/sixers-film-news-analysis-anfernee-simons-shooting-stats-highlights-contract-quentin-grimes-nba-free-agency/) By age 26 he had made 1,097 career three-pointers, 11th in NBA history for players that age or younger.[5](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/bulls.pdf?tid=1736569615503)
The limitations are on the other end and as a creator. He is not an advanced playmaker for others, and he routinely grades as one of the worst defensive players in the NBA, a consequence of his lack of size and strength at 6'3".[4](https://www.phillyvoice.com/sixers-film-news-analysis-anfernee-simons-shooting-stats-highlights-contract-quentin-grimes-nba-free-agency/) Pre-draft evaluations flagged the same profile in 2018: a secondary playmaker and scorer rather than a true point guard.[9](https://www.si.com/nba/2018/06/15/anfernee-simons-nba-draft-2018-scouting-report-highlights-strengths-mock-draft)
## References
1. [Sixers ink Anfernee Simons to reported 2-year deal, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/news/anfernee-simons-sixers-free-agency-2026)
2. [Anfernee Simons player page, NBA.com Stats](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1629014/)
3. [Anfernee Simons Stats, Basketball-Reference.com](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/simonan01.html)
4. [Sixers film study: Anfernee Simons is the shooter this team needs, PhillyVoice](https://www.phillyvoice.com/sixers-film-news-analysis-anfernee-simons-shooting-stats-highlights-contract-quentin-grimes-nba-free-agency/)
5. [Chicago Bulls Season in Review game notes, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/bulls.pdf?tid=1736569615503)
6. [Anfernee Simons Bio, RealGM](https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Anfernee-Simons/Bio/106511)
7. [Anfernee Simons, NBA draft's biggest mystery, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/schools-cant-offer-that-how-nba-drafts-biggest-mystery-spent-his-year-skipping-college/2018/06/20/f39bcce0-74b9-11e8-805c-4b67019fcfe4_story.html)
8. [Inside Blazers Draft Pick Anfernee Simons' Year at IMG Academy, Blazer's Edge](https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/6/24/17496278/anfernee-simons-trail-blazers-img-academy-nba-draft)
9. [2018 NBA Draft: Anfernee Simons Scouting Report and Highlights, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/nba/2018/06/15/anfernee-simons-nba-draft-2018-scouting-report-highlights-strengths-mock-draft)
10. [Anfernee Simons bio, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/player/1629014/anfernee-simons/bio)
11. [Celtics send Jrue Holiday to Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/news/celtics-blazers-trade-jrue-holiday-anfernee-simons)
12. [Jrue Holiday's trade to Blazers becomes official, CBS Boston](https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/jrue-holiday-celtics-blazers-trade-amendment-draft-picks-nba/)
13. [Billy Donovan steps down as Chicago Bulls head coach, Axios](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/04/21/billy-donovan-steps-down-chicago-bulls-head-coach-rebuild-reinsdorf)
14. [Guía NBA 2026: ¿Funcionará el megaproyecto de los Sixers?, Cadena SER](https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2026/10/14/guia-nba-2026-funcionara-el-megaproyecto-de-los-sixers-como-le-ira-a-doncic-sin-lebron-que-espanol-tendra-mas-protagonismo-cadena-ser/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › Current NBA players › Shooting guards › Established NBA veterans*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license