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2023-24 Men's Basketball Roster

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Ben Solomon
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Ben Solomon
Ben Solomon
Ben Solomon
Tom Gilbert

0 Derek Simpson

0 Derek Simpson

  • Position:
    Guard
  • Height:
    6-3
  • Weight:
    165
  • Class:
    Sophomore
  • Hometown:
    Mount Laurel, N.J.
  • Highschool:
    Lenape High School

Summary

Biography

Guard Derek Simpson (6-3, 170-pounds) from Mount Laurel, N.J. readies for his second season with the Scarlet Knights. Simpson is a local product that played competitively in AAU basketball for the South Jersey Titans. 

Simpson excelled in his freshman season, playing in all 34 games with six starts, averaging 20.1 minutes per game. He averaged 7.1 points and had 50 assists and 26 steals. He finished his first year strong, averaging 13.7 points in the final six games of the year. 

2023-24 (Sophomore):  
  • Played in all 32 games, starting 25, averaging 8.3 points with team-high 93 assists and 44 steals, while shooting team-best 86.4% from the free throw line
  • Scored 12 points against Bryant (8-of-8 at charity stripe)
  • Led team with 15 points in win over Georgetown
  • Recorded career-high 23 points against Howard
  • Posted 10 points against Saint Peter's and LIU
  • Tied his career-high with six assists against Mississippi State 
  • Notched 14 points against Stonehill
  • Tied his career-high with 23 points, had a career-high eight rebounds and a career-high nine field goals made at Ohio State
  • Totaled 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, the first RU player with that stat line since 2016 (Corey Sanders)
  • Posted 19 points, six assists, five rebounds, two steals in win at Michigan
  • Had acrobatic layup in win at Maryland that was No. 5 Play on Sportscenter Top 10
  • Led team with 19 points at Minnesota
2022-23 (Freshman):  
  • Played in all 34 games, starting 6
  • Scored 7.1 points per game on 37.4% from the field 
  • Had 11 double-figure scoring games, doing so six times in the final nine games of the season
  • 11 points vs. Sacred Heart and 16 points against UMass Lowell. 
  • Started his career 10-of-10 from free throw line
  • Posted 14 points against CCSU
  • Scored 16 points at Penn State
  • Had 18 points against Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament
  • Notched career-high with 19 points against Hofstra in the NIT

High School:
  • He averaged a team-high 20.6 points-per-game and 4.9 assists-per-game for Lenape High School also making the most three-pointers on his team. 
  • Simpson was recognized with several accolades in his home state of New Jersey and Burlington County after his stellar performance last season. 
  • He was a member of the All-State Third Team, the 2021 Burlington County All-County Team and was named the 2021 Burlington County Player of the Year.
  • One of New Jersey’s premiere prospects, Simpson eclipsed 1,000 points for Lenape last season and will look to solidify the future of Pikiell’s backcourt. 
  • Simpson asked his role model Geo Baker for permission to wear the number 0 for the upcoming season and Baker was happy to have Simpson represent his number in 2022-23.
  • As a high school senior he finished his Lenape Indians career as the all-time leading scorer in program history, after a season in which he played a large role in Lenape’s third South Jersey Group 4 sectional championship. Lenape’s last sectional title came in 2009.
  • Simpson was South Jersey Sports Weekly’s 2021-’22 Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
  • Simpson has shown a striking resemblance to Baker on the court throughout practices and offseason workouts.
  • Head coach Steve Pikiell has called Simpson one of the most athletic guards he has brought in as a recruit in his career at Rutgers.
  • Simpson had offers from the University of Albany, Delaware, Arizona State and Bowling Green before deciding to stay home in New Jersey and pick Rutgers.
  • Simpson started out as a football player as a child and turned to basketball as his father Ron was a prominent AAU coach in the New Jersey area.
  • “We are really excited to welcome Derek Simpson to our Rutgers family,” Pikiell said. “Derek is a dynamic point guard from the great state of New Jersey. People are going to be really excited about what he brings. He can really shoot the basketball, he has a great understanding of the game and he’s very competitive. He’s another young man from a great family and a great basketball program at Lenape High School.”
Personal:
  • Simpson was named after New York Yankees Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter.
  • Simpson is the son of Ron Simpson, who played three seasons at Rider University and scored over 1,700 points in his career with the Broncs.
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Season Stats

Season:
2023-24
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Historical Player Information

  • 0

    2022-23Freshman

    Guard
    6'3" 170 lbs
    0
  • 0

    2023-24Sophomore

    Guard
    6'3" 165 lbs
    0
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