Sonny Weems

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Sonny Weems
Sonny Weems Raptors.jpg
Position Small forward
Shooting guard
Height 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight 203 lb (92 kg)
League LKL
VTB United League
Euroleague
Team Zalgiris Kaunas
Born July 8, 1986 (1986-07-08) (age 25)
West Memphis, Arkansas
Nationality American
High school West Memphis High School
College Arkansas-Fort Smith,
Arkansas
Draft 2008 / Round: 2 / Overall: 39th
Drafted by the Chicago Bulls
Pro career 2008–present
Career history
Awards
  • 1st Team All-SEC (2008)
  • NJCAA 3rd Team All-American (2005)
  • NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American (2006)
  • LKL All-Star (2012)

Clarence[1] "Sonny" Weems (born July 8, 1986 in West Memphis, Arkansas[2]) is an American basketball player who plays for Zalgiris Kaunas. Weems was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft and shortly thereafter traded to the Denver Nuggets. Weems played collegiate basketball at the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. At 6'6" (1.98 m), Weems is able to play both guard and small forward, although his skill set makes him more suited to play the former.

Contents

[edit] High school and college basketball

Weems played basketball at West Memphis High School where he was named first team all-state as a senior after leading his team to the 5A state championship, and was also a 6-10 high jumper in track and field. In Weems' high school career, West Memphis posted a record of 68-10. Weems averaged over 20 points per game as sophomore and junior, and 14.0 rebounds per game as a senior.

After high school, Weems attended junior college at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, and was named 3rd team All-American, as well as all-conference and all-region as a freshman. Ranked as the number one junior college player in the nation by Rivals.com and Street & Smith's, Weems took UAFS to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championship in 2006. Weems was named Honorable Mention All-American and was selected for the all-tournament team. In two years at UAFS, Weems led the team to a 62-7 record and back-to-back Bi-State Conference Eastern Division titles.[2]

Weems signed with the Arkansas Razorbacks as a junior, which was also Stan Heath's final season as head coach. He averaged 11.8 points per game and was named to all-tournament teams at the Old Spice Classic and the SEC Tournament as he helped the Razorbacks to their third consecutive winning season and their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance, losing to the USC Trojans in the first round.

Weems played his senior season with a new head coach, John Pelphrey, and earned first team All-SEC with per game averages of 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists.[3] Weems led the Razorbacks to their first NCAA tournament win in nine years with an upset victory of Indiana University. He finished the game with 31 points, out-dueling the much heralded freshman Eric Gordon, who was held to only eight points.[4] After his team lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Weems later won the College Slam Dunk Championship held at the Final Four.[5]

[edit] Professional career

Weems accepted an invitation to participate in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, but later decided not to attend.[6] Instead, Weems worked out for several teams: the Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, and Portland Trail Blazers, receiving increased interest because of his high scores in speed and agility drills.[7] Weems was selected with the 39th pick of the 2008 NBA Draft by the Bulls, but he was traded almost immediately to the Denver Nuggets for a second-round pick in the 2009 NBA Draft in a three-team trade involving the Portland Trail Blazers.[8][9]

[edit] NBA Development League

On December 10, 2008, the Nuggets, for whom he had yet to play because of a sports hernia surgery and then a groin strain, assigned Weems to their Development League affiliate Colorado 14ers.[10][11]

Weems averaged 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 10 games for the 14ers.[12][13] On December 14, Weems led the 14ers with 20 points, including 9-of-14 field goals, in a 129-108 home win over Reno.[14] Other notable Weems performances include a team-leading 24 points in a thrilling 99-98 loss to Sioux Falls on December 17,[15] a 26-point effort in a 111-104 loss to the Tulsa 66ers on December 20,[16] 25 points in a 99-95 victory over the 66ers on December 23,[17] and 24 points and 10 rebounds in a 131-120 14ers win over Fort Wayne on December 30.[18] On January 6, 2009, Weems was recalled from the 14ers back to the Denver Nuggets.[12]

[edit] NBA

Weems taking a jumpshot for the Raptors in a game against Miami, November 20, 2009

Weems scored 4 points in his NBA regular season debut with the Nuggets on January 17, 2009, when he substituted for Anthony Carter with 3:31 remaining in a 106-88 loss to Orlando.[19]

On July 31, 2009, he was traded along with Walter Sharpe and cash considerations to the Milwaukee Bucks for Malik Allen.[20]

On August 18, 2009, Weems was traded to the Toronto Raptors along with Amir Johnson in exchange for Carlos Delfino and Roko Ukić.[21]

Weems has the distinction of assisting a slam dunk competitor in back to back All Star Games: J.R. Smith in 2009 and DeMar DeRozan in 2010.

On April 7, 2010, Weems was placed in the starting lineup and scored a then career-high 21 points to lead the Raptors, but the Raptors lost the game to the Boston Celtics. His current career-high in points is 25 which he scored on November 17, 2010 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

[edit] Zalgiris

On July 8, 2011, Weems signed with his current team, Zalgiris Kaunas, on a one year contract.[22] [23]

[edit] NBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

[edit] Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2008–09 Denver 12 0 4.6 .320 .000 .375 .3 .3 .1 .0 1.6
2009–10 Toronto 69 19 19.8 .515 .133 .688 2.8 1.5 .6 .4 7.5
2010–11 Toronto 59 28 23.9 .444 .279 .766 2.6 1.8 .6 .0 9.2
Career 140 47 20.3 .474 .241 .717 2.5 1.5 .5 .2 7.7

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sonny Weems profile, hogstats.com
  2. ^ a b "#13 Sonny Weems". Hogwired.com. 2007-10-15. http://www.hogwired.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=30749&SPID=2421&DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=648581&Q_SEASON=2007. 
  3. ^ "Sonny Weems' ESPN profile". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=32032. 
  4. ^ "Arkansas vs Indiana Box Score". ESPN. 2008-03-21. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=284000048. 
  5. ^ "Weems Claims National Slam Dunk Championship". 2008-04-04. http://www.hogwired.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=30746&SPID=2421&DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=1432587. Retrieved 2008-06-27. 
  6. ^ Monter, Chris (2008-04-09). "Ten Pull out of Portsmouth Invitational". Scout.com. http://collegebasketballnews.scout.com/2/744814.html. Retrieved 2008-06-27. 
  7. ^ Arkansas Democrat Gazette, June 26, 2008
  8. ^ "Nuggets Acquire Weems From Bulls". Associated Press (NBC 11 News). 2008-06-26. http://www.nbc11news.com/sports/headlines/21898959.html. Retrieved 2008-06-27. [dead link]
  9. ^ "Nuggets Acquire Draft Rights to Weems". NBA. 2008-06-26. http://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/weems_draft2008_062608.html. Retrieved 2008-06-27. 
  10. ^ Nuggets assign Samb, Weems to 14ers
  11. ^ Nuggets assign Samb, Weems to 14ers
  12. ^ a b Nuggets Recall Weems
  13. ^ Weems' statistics with the Colorado 14ers
  14. ^ Weems Helps Carry 14ers Past Bighorns
  15. ^ Forbes Helps Skyforce Scale 14ers
  16. ^ 66ers Grab Home Win Over Colorado
  17. ^ Nuggets Assignees Weems, Samb Lift 14ers Over 66ers
  18. ^ Weems Paces 14ers Past Mad Ants
  19. ^ NBA.com: Magic at Nuggets Play-by-Play
  20. ^ "BUCKS COMPLETE TRADE WITH NUGGETS". NBA.com. 2009-07-31. http://www.nba.com/bucks/news/mil_den_trade_090731.html. Retrieved 2009-07-31. 
  21. ^ "Raptors Acquire Johnson And Weems From Milwaukee". NBA.com. 2009-08-18. http://www.nba.com/raptors/news/johnson_weems_trade081809.html. Retrieved 2009-08-18. 
  22. ^ ZALGIRIS tabs high-flying Weems
  23. ^ Raptors' Weems heading overseas, signs deal in Lithuania NBA.com

[edit] External links
First round
Second round
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