Gary Simon

[SoonerBounce13]

So what kind of prospect is he for basketball? He has signed with OU and Jame Hale said that both Kruger and Stoops said they would work with him so he could play both sports.

 

[campbest]

He won't play basketball.

 

[boksooner]

He won't play basketball.

Because he isn't good enough or because Stoops and Kruger lied to him during recruitment?

 

[campbest]

Because he isn't good enough or because Stoops and Kruger lied to him during recruitment?

He may be on the roster for a while, but won't actually get playing time. It's not a knock on him at all, given the time contraints OU football demands, he will have to choose. On top of that, the basketball/football dynamic rarely works, usually is ok for football/baseball or track.

 

[WTSooner]

He won't play basketball. A couple of reasons. First, Stoops doesn't like kids playing other sports, I assume b/c it takes time and focus away from football. Second, he probably isn't good enough. OU is bringing in top 100 guards next year, and I expect 2-3 more in 2013. I just don't see the need. Third, it doesn't make much sense to have somebody on the team that only gets to play from January on. He'd never be available for fall practice or the OOC schedule, and he'd miss spring practice (I think) for football. Too many reasons this doesn't work unless the kid is a stud in hoops.

 

[campbest]

He won't play basketball. A couple of reasons. First, Stoops doesn't like kids playing other sports, I assume b/c it takes time and focus away from football. Second, he probably isn't good enough. OU is bringing in top 100 guards next year, and I expect 2-3 more in 2013. I just don't see the need. Third, it doesn't make much sense to have somebody on the team that only gets to play from January on. He'd never be available for fall practice or the OOC schedule, and he'd miss spring practice (I think) for football. Too many reasons this doesn't work unless the kid is a stud in hoops.

Agreed...how likely is it that a kid is going to show up the around the first of January (assuming OU is playing in a bowl game around that time) and Kruger is just going to throw him into conference games without really touching a basketball since July?

Recently, the only players I can remember playing football/basketball have been 5th year seniors or programs that are just hurting for numbers due to injury, turnover, etc. Mizzou has one this year.

 

[WTSooner]

Recently, the only players I can remember playing football/basketball have been 5th year seniors or programs that are just hurting for numbers due to injury, turnover, etc. Mizzou has one this year.

And most of them are bigs, that end up just banging around inside for a few minutes, and grabbing some rebounds.

 

[DenverSooner]

Charlie Ward did it. If I recall correctly he won the Heiseman. Ultimately he had a fairly long NBA career. I am not suggesting Simon is as taletned as Ward. Rather I am simply suggesting it has worked at least once in the not too distant past.

 

[boksooner]

Ronald Curry and Julius Peppers were good enough to play basketball at North Carolina and make the NFL. They were freak athletes, though.

 

[SilliSooner]

The guy has a 44" vertical.

This is one story from the Tampa newspaper: Playing-two-sports-makes-Gary-Simon-go-Oklahoma/12612/

 

[campbest]

Charlie Ward did it. If I recall correctly he won the Heiseman. Ultimately he had a fairly long NBA career. I am not suggesting Simon is as taletned as Ward. Rather I am simply suggesting it has worked at least once in the not too distant past.

It can be done, but generally there has to be some sort of exception...like the kid is an absolute stud on the hardwood. For example, as BOK mentioned, Ronald Curry was the NPOY coming out of high school in football and basketball.

 

[T_Neal's Twitter]

You guys remeber when Adarius Bowman played a little basketball for the cowpokes?? That was hilarious.

 

[AdaSooner]

I asked Sam and Will about Simon several days ago:

http://ouhoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24801

I have my doubts that he'll play both sports for many of the reasons expressed here. But when Stoops goes out of his way to set up a meeting with Kruger to at least make the kid believe he can play basketball, I have to assume that: a) Bob means it this time, or; b) he had his fingers crossed when he made the promise. My guess is that the closest he'll get to the basketball court at the LNC is if he's sitting in the stands watching a game.

It's not that it can't be done. As others have pointed out, Ward, Peppers and Curry were very successful as two sports stars. I saw all three of them play, and they were pretty darned good at both sports. But until I see it with my own eyes at OU, I'm not buyin'!

 

[OKURanger]

Simon, apparently, is a PG...a position that is always needed. I think that if he has the skills to play PG at the D1 level, he could find some time on the hardwood.

 

[sperry]

I also don't like it. He should pick one, and it sounds like he's better at football than basketball, so that's what he should pick. Missing off-season workouts and practices is a good way to get buried in the depth chart in both sports.

 

[jpsam]

So what kind of prospect is he for basketball? He has signed with OU and Jame Hale said that both Kruger and Stoops said they would work with him so he could play both sports.

To your question: here's some decent info from this season.

http://www.maxpreps.com/athletes/wYO5cFq5QUCBSR-dBaEujQ/basketball-winter-11-12/stats-gary-simon.htm

Apparently Gibbs HS is pretty good. 16 ppg from the pg isn't bad. The article above points out that he'll be a walk-on in basketball and that Stoops has him he can do both. It helped him make his decision towards OU. Can't hurt to have another serviceable pg as a walk-on. And if Bob told him he can - he'll have the chance. He'll be in shape and have fouls to give.

 

[61sooner]

Anybody remember a big F out of CAL named Tony Gonzales?
NW had a kid who played FB and BB named Otto Graham.
Years ago Dick Soergle of Okie State played FB,BB, and Baseball.
Bill Bradley of MU think was all Big 7/8 as a QB and had a long career in MLB.

 

[BoulderSooner]

he will learn very quickly that he can "play" basketball also ..

but if he wants to become a football starter and team leader ... it is not a good idea

 

[WTSooner]

I think they told Murray he could play bball too (and he really was pretty good), but that never happened. Like Boulder said above, Bob will make it clear once he is on campus that if he wants to start in football, or get playing time, he'll avoid the court.

 

[One More Rebound]

Dean Blevins played football and basketball at OU...