St. John's University Athletics
Justin Simon to Compete for Chicago Bulls in 2019 NBA Summer League
6/21/2019 2:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
2019 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year to begin pro career in Bulls organization
QUEENS, N.Y. – A standout on both ends of the floor during his two-year career in Queens who helped the Red Storm return to the NCAA Tournament, Justin Simon has reached an agreement with the Chicago Bulls to compete in the 2019 NBA Summer League.
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Simon, the 2019 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, begins his professional career on the heels of a stellar redshirt junior campaign that saw him anchor the Red Storm to 21 wins and its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2015.
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The Temecula, Calif., native was one of five Johnnies to finish the season averaging double figures after posting 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Simon reached double figures 20 times in 34 appearances with one 20-point outing. Just the third player in program history to be named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year alongside Mark Jackson (1987) and Sir'Dominic Pointer (2015), Simon also ranked seventh in the conference with 1.5 steals per game. Simon's defensive prowess shined brightness against the toughest competition, as he stifled some of the league's most potent offensive talents. In two regular season meetings against Marquette, both of which were St. John's victories, Simon limited BIG EAST Player of the Year Markus Howard to just 25 total points. Over the course of the campaign, Howard averaged 25.0 points per outing.
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During his first year suiting up for the Red Storm in 2017-18, Simon played and started in all 33 games while averaging 12.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.5 steals per contest. Simon led the team in rebounding, assists and steals and was the only player to rank in the top five of the BIG EAST in each of those categories. He topped the conference and ranked eighth nationally in steals while finishing second in the league in assists.  Simon led the Johnnies with nine double-doubles, including an 11-point, 11-rebound and nine-assist outing against Saint Joseph's at Mohegan Sun Arena.
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Simon began his collegiate career at Arizona in 2015-16, helping the Wildcats earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
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Simon, the 2019 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, begins his professional career on the heels of a stellar redshirt junior campaign that saw him anchor the Red Storm to 21 wins and its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2015.
Â
The Temecula, Calif., native was one of five Johnnies to finish the season averaging double figures after posting 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Simon reached double figures 20 times in 34 appearances with one 20-point outing. Just the third player in program history to be named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year alongside Mark Jackson (1987) and Sir'Dominic Pointer (2015), Simon also ranked seventh in the conference with 1.5 steals per game. Simon's defensive prowess shined brightness against the toughest competition, as he stifled some of the league's most potent offensive talents. In two regular season meetings against Marquette, both of which were St. John's victories, Simon limited BIG EAST Player of the Year Markus Howard to just 25 total points. Over the course of the campaign, Howard averaged 25.0 points per outing.
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During his first year suiting up for the Red Storm in 2017-18, Simon played and started in all 33 games while averaging 12.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.5 steals per contest. Simon led the team in rebounding, assists and steals and was the only player to rank in the top five of the BIG EAST in each of those categories. He topped the conference and ranked eighth nationally in steals while finishing second in the league in assists.  Simon led the Johnnies with nine double-doubles, including an 11-point, 11-rebound and nine-assist outing against Saint Joseph's at Mohegan Sun Arena.
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Simon began his collegiate career at Arizona in 2015-16, helping the Wildcats earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
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