Clemson's Hunter Tyson, Aamir Simms to play together on NBA Summer League team

Hunter Tyson and Aamir Simms will team up again for the Denver Nuggets this summer. (Photo: Ken Ruinard / USATODAY)

by TigerNet Staff - Sat Jul 01 16:54:16 GMT-04:00 2023

Two former Clemson basketball players were announced on the summer league roster for the reigning NBA champs.

The Denver Nuggets released the list on Saturday, which includes 2023 second-round draft selection Hunter Tyson, as well as two-time All-ACC honoree Aamir Simms.

The two played together for three seasons already at Clemson, from 2018-21.

Tyson became Clemson’s first drafted NBA player since 2017 and the highest selection since 2014 with a No. 37 overall pick for the Nuggets recently.

Tyson earned first-team All-ACC honors last season by averaging 15.3 points and 9.6 rebounds, hitting 40.5% of his 3-point attempts and 47.9% of his field goal attempts overall. He was named the 2023 ACC Skip Prosser Scholar-Athlete of the Year for his work on the court and in the classroom as well.

Tyson became the 44th player in Clemson history to amass 1,000 career points and has since moved into the top 40 all time. He was named to the 2023 Naismith Hall of Fame Karl Malone Award Top 10 and the 2023 USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy Award Midseason Watch List.

He collected 16 double-doubles, which tied him for eighth all-time in Clemson history for a single season with Sharone Wright (1992-93). It is the most in a season since Wright posted 18 in 1993-94.

Tyson ranked 11th in the nation in double-doubles and is second in the ACC. He was first in defensive rebounding per game (8.26) and second nationally.

He made a jump from averaging double-figure scoring for the first time as a fourth-year senior (10) and grabbing 5.5 rebounds, where he shot a tick under 35% from three (34.7).

Simms played last for Paris in the French ELITE ProA league, where he averaged 13.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in the 2022-23 season and 12.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in Eurocup action.

He also played for the Westchester Knicks in the NBA G League.

Simms averaged 13 points and up over the last two seasons with Clemson through the 2020-21 campaign, leading the team in points (13.4), rebounds (6.4), assists (2.7), FG% (.532), blocks (0.7), and FT% (.825) as a senior.

The Nuggets begin mini-camp on July 3 and then start Summer League action facing Milwaukee on July 7 (2 pm PT/Thomas & Mack Center/ESPNU), face Atlanta on July 9 (6:30 pm PT/COX Pavilion/NBA TV), face Utah on July 12 (6:30 pm PT/COX Pavilion/NBA TV), face Miami on July 14 (6 pm PT/COX Pavilion/ESPN2) and then an opponent and date to be determined after that.

After every team plays four games, the top four teams with the best records will advance to the playoffs and participate in a semi-final game (July 16), and the two semi-final game winners will then participate in the championship game (July 17). The 26 teams that do not play in the Championship Game will play a fifth game on July 15th or 16th.

All of the Nuggets’ summer league contests will be broadcast live on Altitude Television in addition to ESPN’s coverage.