Jonathan Simmons declared for the NBA Draft. He led UH in scoring last season at 14.7 points per game. | Joshua Siegel/The Daily Cougar
Jonathan Simmons has announced that he will declare for the NBA Draft.
“It’s very hard because it’s a life-changing decision with me having one year left of school,” Simmons said.
“I feel like I’m ready and with my support behind me — I have 100 percent support from my family and friends. I feel like this is my time and what I want to do.”
Last season, Simmons, a junior-college transfer, led UH in scoring at 14.7 points per game while also finishing third on the Cougars with five rebounds per game. Simmons started 29 of 30 games this year for UH and scored 20-plus points in eight of those.
The decision was not an easy one for Simmons, but he cited family as the main reason for his decision.
“I want to be able to provide for my family,” he said. “This is my year. I feel like I’m good enough to compete with those guys at the next level.”
Simmons said that he plans to hire an agent. He acknowledged that he might not be high on team’s draft boards at the moment, but this is just another challenge for him.
“I know that right now I’m kind of at the bottom of the list, but I’ve always been the underdog all of my life, so it’s not anything I can’t overcome and I have the right people around me,” Simmons said.
