Zavier Simpson

Zavier Simpson's Biography

Zavier Marquis Simpson was born in Lima, Ohio, on February 11, 1997, to Bobbie Carter and Quincey Simpson. Since the second grade, Zaview has been involved with basketball when he began serving as a ball boy for the Lima Senior High School, where his father was an assistant coach. He began his journey on the court playing for Lima Central Catholic High School during his freshman and sophomore seasons, but he later transferred to Lima Senior High School where his father assumed the position of head coach.

At Lima Senior High School, Simpson established himself as a force to reckon with on the court. He broke the two-time Ohio Mr. Basketball Greg Simpson’s Lima Senior High School single-game scoring record by posting 59 points against Fremont Ross High School. Later, Simpson posted an astonishing 65 points against the same opponent. He led his team, Lima Senior to the OHSAA Division I Championship game, where it suffered its only loss of a stellar season with a record of 29-1.

His compelling performance backed by his exceptional skill on the court led him to earn the honor of 2016 Ohio Mr. Basketball. In addition, he was recognized as the Ohio Boys Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year.

As Zavier matured as an athlete, he committed to playing college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines on September 9, 2015. College scouts took note of his talent, and by the end of his high school term, he was ranked as one of the nation’s top prospects. ESPN ranked Simpson as number 49 player and number 12 amongst point guards, while the likes of Scout and Rivals also ranked him highly.

At Michigan, he kept a low profile during his freshman year, contributing marginally towards the team success. However, he bounced back greatly in his sophomore season, earning the attention of critics with his standout performances against top-rated opponents. After averaging just 7.3 points per game for the season, in his other games against top-10 opponents, Simpson posted double digits, proving his worth on the court.

For his junior and senior years, he grew into a more skillful and strategic player. As a junior, he was a 2019 Second team All-Big Ten selection and a Big Ten All-defensive team honoree. During this period, he mastered the art of hook shooting, earning him the nickname “Captain Hook.”

Zavier led his team to the Championship Game of the 2018 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament and was part of the 2017 and 2018 Big Ten Conference championship teams. His performances during this period were instrumental in breaking several ranking records and rewriting history for Michigan college basketball.

Simpson’s journey as a basketball player also had some hiccups. In January 2020, he was suspended from the Michigan team after he violated the curfew and provided a false account regarding his involvement in a car accident. Despite this setback, Simpson rebounded strongly, and by the end of his senior season, was ranked as the number 2 player in Michigan’s program history with over 600 career assists.

After graduation, Zavier transitioned to becoming a professional basketball player and began his career at U-BT Cluj-Napoca, a team in the Liga Națională de Baschet Masculin (LNBM), the Romanian Cup, and EuroCup. His journey from a ball boy in Lima, Ohio, to a professional player on the international stage attests to his commitment, hard work, and unwavering passion for the sport.