During the Philadelphia 76ers’ infamous “Process” days, the team had a habit of going quite heavy on the center position. In fact, during the three seasons in which general manager Sam Hinkie was employed, the Sixers ran through a total of eight different big men.
While the organization eventually hit the jackpot and landed Joel Embiid as their franchise cornerstone, the team obviously swung and missed quite a bit when it came to the spot down low. One of those misses was that of former Georgetown Hoya, Henry Sims.
After playing all four years at the collegiate level, Sims entered the NBA draft in 2012. Despite averaging a solid 11.6 points per game his senior season, Sims went undrafted. He bounced around a few different D-League teams following the conclusion of the draft, before eventually settling with the Erie Bayhawks (Orlando Magic affiliate team).
Sims impressed during his time with the Bayhawks, producing well enough to actually be named to the D-League All-Star game. With teams beginning to take notice of his newfound production, Sims was awarded with NBA opportunities. He signed a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Hornets in 2013 before eventually signing a professional contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2013-2014 season.
After a rough start to his Cavs career, Sims was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on February 20, 2014. The Cavaliers also sent Earl Clark and two second-round picks with Sims, as they received veteran center Spencer Hawes in return. Considering the state of the Sixers at that point in time, Sims found himself in a position where he could actually get a healthy amount of playing time.
Across two seasons in Philly, Sims played in 99 games and even started 57. He averaged career-highs in both scoring and rebounding, putting up a stat-line of 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Sims’ highlight of his Philadelphia playing career came on April 4, 2014 when he dropped 24 points in a win over the Boston Celtics.
Considering Sims’ below average production when it came to rebounding and defending (0.4 blocks per game), the Sixers opted to not keep him around following the 2015 season. Sims signed with the Pheonix Suns during free agency, but failed to ever play a game for them. After another brief stint in the G-League, Sims signed a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets. He averaged just 6.5 points per game with them.
Sims bounced around between G-League rosters and Summer League teams for another year before eventually opting to take his talents overseas in 2016. Sims played in China for a year, had one final brief stint in the G-League, and then made the move to Italy to play in their professional league.
Since 2017, Sims has played for three different Italian teams (Vanoli Cremona, Virtus Roma, Fortitudo Bologna). Since making the move to Europe, Sims has seen his production skyrocket, averaging 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
*Note: Virtus Roma plays in the second division of the Serie A, 2018-2019 stats were not included*
Sims stills plays for Fortitudo Bologna currently, as he continues to make a name for himself overseas. However, at 30 years old, it’s unlikely he’s eyeing a return to the NBA or its developmental system anytime soon.
Sims honestly played a minimal role in the Sixers’ tanking process of the mid-2010s. Sam Hinkie likely acquired him simply to get those two second-round picks, a decision Hinkie has made many a time before. However, it’s still fun to check in and see how some of these “Process legends” are doing these days. Good to see Sims still playing professionally today over in Italy.
Check out some of the other entries in our “Rewinding the Process” series:
Nerlens Noel, Hollis Thompson, Jahlil Okafor, Dario Saric
Nik Stauskas, Michael Carter-Williams, Tony Wroten, Jerami Grant
Mandatory Credit – © Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
