Zavier Simpson

Zavier Simpson Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman

Photo by: (Tork Mason/hawkeyesports.com)

Class:
Freshman
Position:
G
Height:
6-0
Weight:
180
Hometown:
Lima, Ohio
High School:
Lima Senior

Career Notables
• Along with classmate Jon Teske, finished career as the all-time winningest Wolverines (108)
• Played in a U-M record 146 career games; missed just one game in career (Nebraska; Jan. 28, 2020)
• Began career playing in 135 consecutive games; before missing first and only game due to suspension
• Became the 70th Wolverine to reach 100 career games
• As a sophomore, his 41 games (2017-18) ranks as the best all-time in a single season (shared with four others)
• Ranks 47th all-time with 1,073 career points, with 53 double figure scoring games, four 20+ and one 30+
• Became 55th Wolverine to surpass 1,000 points in a career
• Ranks second all-time with 667 career assists; second Wolverine to surpass 600+ assists in a career
• Became just the fourth Wolverine to eclipse 500+ assists in a career -- Gary Grant (731), Rumeal Robinson (576) and Antoine Joubert (539); 39th player in Big Ten history to surpass 500+ assists
• Recorded the sixth triple-double in U-M history with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists against Ohio State (Jan. 29, 2019)
• Record 10 career double-doubles (one triple-double; six point/assist and three point/rebound)
• Holds U-M record for assist average in a season (7.86; 2019-20)
• Ranks fifth all-time for career assist average (4.57 apg)
• Holds U-M record with 16 career games of 10+ assists
• Holds U-M record for 10+ assists games in a season, twice -- (8 in 2018-19 and 2019-20)
• Holds U-M junior season (244) and senior season (236) record for assists in a season
• Sixth Wolverine to record three 100+ assist seasons -- 2017-18 (150), 2018-19 (244), 2019-20 (236)
• Second Wolverine to score 1,000 points (1,073) and dish 600 assists (667); third to dish 500 assists and ninth to dish 400 assists
• Second Wolverine to score 1,000 points (1,073), grab 400 rebounds (476) and dish 500 & 600 assists (667); fourth to dish 400 assists
• Ranks sixth all-time with 156 steals
• 19th Wolverine to score 1,000 points (1,073) and swipe 100 steals (156)

Michigan Career & Honors
• 2x All-Big Ten, second team (2019, '20)
• Big Ten's All-Defensive Team (2019)
• Big Ten All-Tournament Team (2019)
• Preseason All-Big Ten (2020)
• 2x Associated Press All-Big Ten, first team (2019), second team (2020)
• 2x NABC All-District, second team (2019, '20)
• 2x USBWA All-District V (2019, '20)
• Battle 4 Atlantis All-Tournament team (2020)
• Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off All-Tournament team (2019)
• Semifinalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award (2019)
• 2x U-M Team Captain (2018-19; 2019-20)
• U-M's Bill Buntin Most Valuable Player (2019)
• U-M's Wayman Britt Outstanding Defensive Player (2018)
• U-M's Rudy Tomjanovich Most Improved Player (2018)
• 2x U-M's Gary Grant Award for Most Assists (2018, '19)
• 3x U-M's Steve Grote Hustle Award (2017, '18, '19)
• Helped U-M to back-to-back 30 win seasons -- U-M record 33 in 2017-18 (33-8), 30 in 2018-19 (30-7); those two season were the fourth and fifth 30+ win tallies all-time
• Helped U-M to back-to-back Big Ten Tournament titles; becoming third Big Ten program to win two straight conference tournament crowns (2017, '18)
• Helped U-M to three straight NCAA Sweet 16 appearances (2017, '18, '19)
• Helped U-M advance to 2018 Final Four, national title game (San Antonio); second trip in six-year span (2013; Atlanta)
• Helped U-M to the 2017 2K Classic title, winning two straight games -- Marquette and SMU at Madison Square Garden (New York)
• Helped U-M to the 2018 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off title, winning two straight games -- George Washington and Providence at the Mohegan Sun Resort (Connecticut)
• Helped U-M to the 2020 Battle 4 Atlantis title, winning three straight games -- Iowa State, No. 6 North Carolina and No. 8 Gonzaga at the Atlantis Resort (Bahamas)

Senior (2019-20)
• Started 30 games; missing one game due to suspension, snapping streak a 135 consecutive game streak
• Season cut short after Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments were cancelled due to the global coronavirus pandemic
• Tied for U-M lead with 12.9 points per game, posting 18 double figure scoring games, three 20+ and one 30+
• Scored a career-high 32 points against Wisconsin (Feb. 27) -- going 14-for-22 from the field; first Wolverine to score 30+ points in a game in just under three years
• Added two additional 20+ point games -- Houston Baptist (22; Nov. 22) -- going 8-for-10 from the field and Purdue (22; Jan. 9) -- going 9-for-13 from the field in double-overtime win
• Scored 1,000th career point on a hook shot at Rutgers (Feb. 19); finished with 16 points
• Led U-M and Big Ten and ranked third national with 7.9 assists per game
• His 236 assists was the third best total all-time in a single season and set the U-M senior season record
• Posted second straight season of 200+ assists (236) and sixth in program history
• Recorded 3+ assists in every game; with 24 games of 6+ assists and eight of 10+, including a career-high 14 assists against Houston Baptist
• Set and then tied the Battle 4 Atlantis record for assists in a game with 13 vs. Iowa State (Nov. 27) and vs. No. 8 Gonzaga (Nov. 29) in championship game
• Averaged 4.5 rebounds per game, posting 16 games of 5+ rebounds, including a season-high eight against Appalachian State (Nov. 5)
• Posted third straight season with 130+ rebounds (134)
• Record five double-doubles
   • 22 points, 14 assists against Houston Baptist - first career 20/10 double-dip
   • 10 points, 13 assists vs. Iowa State (Battle 4 Atlantis)
   • 13 points, 13 assists vs. No. 8 Gonzaga (Battle 4 Atlantis)
   • 12 points, 11 assists vs. Indiana
   • 11 points, 10 assists vs. Nebraska
• Averaged 33.8 minutes, with 22 games of 30+ minutes and four 40+, including a career-high 49 against Purdue in double overtime
• Played in all 40 minutes at Minnesota (Jan. 12)

Junior (2018-19)
• Started all 37 games; one of four Wolverines to do so
• Averaged 8.8 points per game, posting 17 double figure games and one 20+
• Scored first 20+ game with a career-high 24 points against Northwestern (Jan. 13)
• Led U-M, was second in Big Ten and ranked fifth nationally with 244 assists (6.6 per game)
• His 244 assist was the second best total all-time in a single season and set the U-M junior season record
• Posted first 200+ assists season (244) and fifth in program history
• Recorded 5+ assists in 29 games and eight of 10+, including a season-high 12, twice -- Ohio State (Jan. 29) and at Minnesota (Feb. 21)
• Averaged 5.0 rebounds per game, posting 20 games of 5+ rebounds and three of 10+, including a career-high 11 vs. George Washington (Nov. 17; Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off)
• Added two additional 10+ rebound games -- at Wisconsin (10; Jan. 19) and Ohio State (10)
• Recorded U-M's sixth triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists against Ohio State
• Recorded five double-doubles
   • 14 points, 11 rebounds against George Washington
   • 11 points, 10 rebounds at Wisconsin (Jan. 19)
   • 11 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists against Ohio State (triple double)
   • 12 points, 10 assists at Maryland (March 3)
   • 10 points, 11 assists vs. Iowa (March 15; Big Ten Tournament)
• Led U-M with 53 steals (1.43 spg), posting a season-high five steals at Villanova (Nov. 14)
• Averaged 33.9 minutes, with 31 games of 30+ minutes and three 40+
• Played in all 40 minutes, three times -- Wisconsin (Feb. 9), Michigan State (Feb. 24) and vs. Florida (March 23; NCAA)

Sophomore (2017-18)
• Played in all 41 games; one of five Wolverines to do so
• Started 29 games; started first four games, before coming off bench in next 12; closed season starting final 25 games
• Made first career start against North Florida (Nov. 11), playing 18 minutes recording three points, three rebounds, nine assists and two steals
• Averaged 7.3 points per game, posting 18 double figure scoring games with a season-high 16 points, twice -- at No. 4 Michigan State (Jan 13) and at No. 3 Purdue (Jan. 25)
• Led U-M with 150 assists (3.7 apg); helping a Wolverine make it 10 straight years of a player hitting 100+ in a season
• Recorded 15 games with 5+ assists and four games of 7+, including a season-high nine against North Florida (season opener)
• Averaged 3.2 rebounds per game, with nine games of 5+ rebounds, including a season-high eight rebounds, twice -- against Rutgers (Jan. 21) and vs. Houston (March 17; NCAA)
• Led U-M with 53 steals (1.3 spg), posting a career-high six steals vs. Texas A&M (March 22; NCAA)
• Averaged 26.5 minutes, with 18 games of 30+ minutes and one 40+ -- a season-high 42 against Minnesota (Feb. 3)

Freshman (2016-17)
• Played in all 38 games, one of eight Wolverines to do so
• Averaged 1.6 points per game, with five games of 5+ points, including a season-high seven points, three times -- Central Arkansas (Dec. 13), Michigan State (Feb. 7) and Purdue (Feb. 25)
• Recorded 37 assists (1.0), with 12 games of 2+ assists, including a season-high four against Maryland Eastern Shores (Dec. 17)
• Averaged 8.7 minutes, with 15 games of 10+ minutes

Prep Career
• Played at Lima Senior High School under coach and father Quincey Simpson
• Began prep career at Lima Central Catholic before transferring as a junior to Lima Senior following his father's hiring as head coach
• Tabbed as ESPN's No. 48 overall player in the 2016 Class and No. 3 player in Ohio
• Associated Press Ohio Mr. Basketball (2016); fourth player from Lima, Ohio, to be named Mr. Basketball joining Greg Simpson (1991, '92), Aaron Hutchins (1994) and Jamar Butler (2004)
• Associated Press Division I Player of the Year (2015, '16), All-Ohio first team (2015, '16)
• Associated Press Division III All-Ohio honorable mention (2014)
• Three Rivers Conference Player of the Year (2016), first team (2015, '16), Academic Award (2015)
• All-Northwest Ohio Player of the Year (2015, '16), first team (2015, '16)
• All-District 8 Player of the Year (2015, '16), first team (2015, '16)
• The Lima News Dream Team Player of the Year (2015, '16), All-City first team (2015, '16)
• With 17 points and seven assists helped Lima Senior to the 2016 OHSAA Division I runner-up title after a narrow, 57-55, loss to Westerville South (March 19); nearly completing a perfect season closing 26-1 overall and 16-0 in Three Rivers Conference play
• With 18 points, three assists and two steals led Lima Catholic Central to the 2014 OHSAA Division III title with a 64-62 win over Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joe (March 22); finished season 25-4 overall
• Finished prep career with a 95-13 record -- Lima Senior (48-6) and Lima Catholic Central (47 -7)
• Scored 1,986 points in his career, including 688 points at Lima Central Catholic
• Nearly averaged 20-plus points over his last three seasons -- senior (27.2), junior (19.8) and sophomore (19.0)
• Averaged six-plus assists in each of his final three seasons -- senior (6.1), junior (8.0) and sophomore (6.0)
• Broke the Lima Senior single-game scoring record, twice as a senior -- 59 points (Dec. 15) and 65 points (Feb. 2), both against Fremont Ross

Personal
• Born on Feb. 11, 1997 in Lima, Ohio
• Son of Bobbie Carter and Quincey Simpson
• Graduated with a general studies degree from U-M's College of Literature, Science and the Arts