DeShawn Adrian Sims Jr. (born January 21, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for Pistoia of the Serie A2 Basket. He has previously played for Sagesse and Champville of the Lebanese Basketball League, as well as teams in Greece, Korea, Israel and Puerto Rico after a career with the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team. In high school, he became Associated Press Class A Player of the Year, a Jordan Brand All-American and a fourth team Parade All-American. At Michigan he became a second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection. He had signed a free-agent contract with the Boston Celtics for whom he played in the Orlando Summer League in addition to playing for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Summer League. He became a 2011 D-League All-Star and NBA Development League Rookie of the Year.
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. 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.
Prior to the beginning of the 2009-10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Sims was one of two members (along with Manny Harris) of the 2009–10 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team named among the 50 preseason Wooden Award watch list nominees. At the conclusion of 2009–10 Big Ten Conference regular season he was recognized as a second-team All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and the media. Sims concluded the season as the Big Ten Conference leader in offensive rebounds.
High school
Born in Detroit, Michigan, as the son of Lolita Pruitt and DeShawn Sims Sr. He claims to have 13 brothers and sisters. 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 Jordan Brand All-American, a fourth team Parade All-American, and a unanimous Associated Press Class A All-State selection. He led 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.
College
Freshman and sophomore years
At the University of Michigan, Sims started two games as a freshman and all 32 games as a sophomore. He debuted for the 2006–07 Michigan Wolverines in the season opener with 2 points and 2 rebounds in 6 minutes on November 10 against Central Connecticut and made his first start on December 28 against , scoring 13 points. His brother, Marcus Pruitt, who was a 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.