Arizona's 2019 class of prospects looks to be very loaded with talent. Another one of the better prospects in the class is Chandler High School's 6-foot-2 rising junior guard Vean Simon. Simon is a skilled combo-guard prospect that has seen a lot of playing time early at Chandler, while also having very good success on the club circuit at a young age. Here is my take on another talented prospect in the class.
Simon has seen playing time very early for Chandler, being inserted into the starting lineup last season as a sophomore. While the team struggled at times last season to win games (13-15 overall record), Simon gained valuable experience last season in the process, and should be prepared to have a breakout season for himself and head coach Ed Gibson for his junior season.
Simon averaged 5.9 points, 2.7 assists and 3.2 assists per/game last season as a sophomore. Look for him to be much more of a factor for the Chandler team next high school season.
Simon is a versatile guard prospect that is capable of playing several positions on the floor, but is at his best from either guard position. He has seen much of his time as a point guard, as a result of his ability to handle the basketball and see the floor. Simon is a very unselfish player that enjoys making plays for others off the dribble - setting up his teammates for scoring opportunities. He is also a solid shooter of the basketball, and can make open shots, although he still needs to add consistency to his shooting stroke from longer ranges. He is a good mid-range shooter currently.
Simon is good ball handler and passer that sees the floor, and pushes the ball ahead to the open man on the floor. He has a good basketball IQ, and should develop into a coach on the floor over time with good leadership qualities. I would like to see him become more vocal to his teammates next high school season to maximize his potential as a player over time.
Last spring and summer, Simon helped lead his club program, Powerhouse Hoops Black U15, to an amazing 27-1 overall record during the club season, and a 15U tournament championship at the West Coast Elite Spring Classic in Las Vegas. This summer, Simon will help lead a talented Powerhouse Hoops U16 squad.
Simon is a solid overall guard prospect that will have good college options for himself over time. He is an excellent student that carries better than a 4.0 CUM GPA. This young man, with continued hard work, could find himself as an IVY League or Patriot League prospect, which would be a nice accomplishment for this young man.
I will continue to follow the progress of Simon as a player closely over the next two high school seasons to see how much he continues to develop. His performance in the classroom will definitely raise his overall recruitment as a player.