DeShawn Sims often uttered a single word to close his thoughts following a Maine Red Claws game this season: Respect.
Friday, he got some.
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The prolific forward was named the NBA Development League Rookie of the Year, an honor voted on by the league’s 16 coaches. He was also named to the all-rookie first team.
“This means a lot to me,” said Sims from his home in Detroit. “I developed and took huge strides this year. And as the year picked up I got better, my productivity stepped up. I think it shows I’m a player willing to learn, who can get better.”
Sims averaged 20.3 points per game this season, which ranked him fourth overall in scoring and first among league rookies.
He scored more than 30 points in seven games, including a season-high 35 on March 3.
“I believe he’s an NBA player,” said Red Claws General Manager Jon Jennings. “He has to continue to develop, but I really believe he’s an NBA player. We’re just really pleased and quite proud of him.
“He’s just one of those guys you’re pretty happy that good things like this happen to.”
Sims was plucked off the waiver wire by Maine just two weeks into the season when two players were injured out of the gate.
Jennings had followed him from an invitational tournament last spring and through the summer leagues.
But he was a long-shot grab at the time. Thirteen teams decided not to claim him.
“When I saw his name pop up, I immediately put a claim in with zero hope of getting him,” said Jennings. “Frankly, I didn’t think we had a shot.”
Instead he showed up in Maine, joined the lineup and immediately made an impact.
The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward out of Michigan shot 50.6 percent from the field and scored in double figures 41 times, including 13 double-doubles.
He scored 20 points in the league’s All-Star game in Los Angeles, and grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes for the East.
Sims, who also overcame significant personal odds to reach this point in his career, reunited this spring with his father, who was released following a 14-year prison sentence.
“I was still able to do some damage on the court, which just shows the strength of me,” said Sims.
His award, said Jennings, is quite meaningful to the franchise.
The team would love him back, he said, but hopes Sims’ next stop is the NBA.
“He has a quiet confidence, and he has this really competitive streak,” said Jennings.
“You can tell the guy loves the game of basketball. This is a great achievement for him and I think it’s a steppingstone, if you will.”
Teammate Jamar Smith was named to the All-Rookie second team.
Smith averaged 13.5 points per game at point guard and finished ranked fourth overall in 3-pointers made (2.2 per game) and sixth in 3-point percentage (.432).
Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:
jmenendez@pressherald.com
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