Topic: DeShawn Sims

DeShawn Adrian Sims is a (born January 21, 1988) is a senior forward for the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team. During the 2008-09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Sims ranked among the leaders in the Big Ten Conference in rebounds per game, points per game and Field goal percentage. He led the 2008–09 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team in rebounding and scoring in victories over two top-five ranked teams as a college junior, which enabled them to earn a place in the national rankings for the first time in nearly three years. In addition, while the team was on the proverbial bubble, he led the team in scoring in each of the last five games before the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, including the only other regular season victory of the season against a ranked opponent. In high school, he became Associated Press Class A Player of the Year and was a fourth team Parade All-American. At the conclusion of the 2008–09 Big Ten Conference men's basketball season he was named to the second team All-Big Ten team by the media and the third team by the coaches.

Born in Detroit, Michigan as the son of Lolita Pruitt and DeShawn Sims Sr., Sims starred at Detroit Pershing High School, where, as a freshman, he played the guard position. He became a starter as a sophomore and earned both Detroit News and Detroit Free Press All-Detroit, honorable mention recognition. In his junior season, he was named Associated Press Class A All-State. As a senior in the 2005–06 season, he earned Associated Press Class A Player of the Year honors. That season, he was a fourth team Parade All-American, and a unanimous Associated Press Class A All-State selection. He lead his team to the Detroit Public School League championship game where they lost to Redford High School, a team that was led by junior Manny Harris, who later became Sims' teammate at Michigan. Over the course of his senior season, he averaged 25.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 4.0 assists. He placed third in the Hal Schram Mr. Basketball of Michigan voting, trailing David Kool and Tom Herzog. He played in various All-star games and earned the MVP of the U.S. All-Stars vs. Capital All-Stars Game in Washington, D.C. In high school, Rivals.com ranked Sims as the #6 high school power forward and #31 overall high school basketball player in the United States. Scout.com ranked Sims as the #9 high school small forward in the country. Sims is known by a nickname that has been published in the press as both Peedi and Peety.

At the University of Michigan, Sims started two games as a freshman and all 32 games as a sophomore. His brother, Marcus Pruitt, who was a 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) junior at Pershing, was fatally shot during Sims's freshman year. The following year, during the 2007-08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, his averages jumped from 3.4 points per game to 12.3 and from 2.3 rebounds per game to 5.4. During that season, he led Michigan in rebounding and placed 14th in the Big Ten Conference, while placing 12th in the conference in scoring. This earned him an All-Big Ten honorable mention. During his sophomore year, Sims opened the John Beilein era at Michigan by earning Big Ten Player of the Week honors for the week of November 12, 2007.