Wayne Simien is already a star in about every sense of the word.
The Leavenworth native starred at the University of Kansas, was a lottery pick and a member of an NBA champion team in Miami. He’s been inducted into the KU Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the 2002 and 2003 teams, but later this month he’ll get a place as a individual and this winter his jersey will hang in the hallowed rafters of Allen Fieldhouse.
He’ll be just the 26th player in Kansas’ storied basketball history to have his jersey retired.
But rewind 20 years and Simien, the son of Wayne Sr. and Margaret Simien, was just another kid playing hoops in Leavenworth. Growing up, he said, playing basketball at KU and beyond was a goal he wasn’t sure he’d be able to achieve.
“It was always a dream of mine to play at Kansas and go on to the NBA,” Simien said. “Being from a small town like Leavenworth, I never really felt like it would be a reality, but I didn’t let that stop me from working hard and trying to be the best I could be. There’s so many people in that community that embraced that dream and did the best they could to help me make it a reality, from coaches to teachers, I had a lot of support.
“Low and behold, those dreams become more of a reality the older that I got. It was great to see them come to fruition.”
That support, he added, makes it hard for him to even imagine spending his youth anywhere else.
“I love my hometown,” Simien said. “It’s a great community to be raised in. I just really enjoyed everything about it, the culture that comes from Fort Leavenworth and spending time up there, I can remember spending hours playing up there and having new friends come in from the military. ... I just couldn’t imagine any other place to grow up.”
A hometown hero in Leavenworth, Simien put himself in some elite company during his playing days. He won a state championship with Leavenworth High School in 2000 and was a McDonald’s All-American and Gatorade Kansas Player of the Year his senior season in 2001. From there he went on the University of Kansas, where he helped the Jayhawks to three regular-season Big 12 titles, was twice an All-American — including concensus first-team as a senior in 2005. He also earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors his senior year, and was named the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award winner that season.
Simien is one of just 20 Kansas players to be named a consensus first-team All-American, joining a presitgious list that includes the likes of Danny Manning, Wilt Chamberlain and Clyde Lovellette to name a few. Out of Kansas he was selected in the first round of the NBA draft, taking a place on the 2005-2006 Miami Heat team that won an NBA title. He also played professionally in Spain before retiring in 2009.
The decision to retire, he says, wasn’t a difficult one at all.
“It wasn’t hard for me to walk away,” Simien said. “It was one of the few times in my life when I’d never been more sure about the timing to step away. There was certainty in what I was stepping into.”
Simien put professional basketball aside to focus on his Called to Greatness organization, which combines sports and minstry.
“I was really excited about moving into my minstry in Lawrence,” he said. “It wasn’t something I was hesistant or unsure about, I was just excited to make that transition.”
Called to Greatness was established while Simien was still in the NBA, at that time basing mostly on conducting summer camps during his offseason from basketball. The opportunity to pursue that minstry full-time has allowed Simien to see it blossom into something he never thought possible.
“I had no idea it would grow to what it’s become today,” Simien said. “It’s some of the most challenging work I’ve done, but by far the most fulfilling. I’m excited to see it continue to grow and serve and impact the lives of other people.”
Called to Greatness has expanded from basketball to now include flag football, baseball and dance as well as a minstry for coaches. Simien will also expand his role at his alma mater this year, taking on a chaplain role for not just the Jayhawks basketball team but the football team as well. Simien said he feels fortunate to be able to share his experiences with college athletes now going through the same things.
“I’m a mentor,” Simien said. “Being a former college athlete, I have an understanding of what they go through, so I’m helping them overcome those things, not just as an athlete but as a father and a husband. I mentor the guys on a lot of issues. It’s been great to get to work with the college guys.”
It was during his college days, between his junior and senior seasons at KU, that Simien turned down a different path by becoming a Christian.
“During that time I had basically everything the world says should make you happy,” Simien explained. “During that time I had only been living for myself and basketball and had achieved a measure of fame. I had a future in the NBA and access to drugs and girls and alcohol, but none of that fulfiled me. I wanted to be fulfilled and I found that in living my life for Jesus Christ.”
Now, Simien said, he uses the success that he’s achieved to help him reach out in his ministry.
“I think the experiences I’ve had as a successful collegiate and NBA player, teaching the game in that way draws the kids in,” Simien said. “Also, and we think more importantly, we’re able to share off the court things that helped me become successful on the court, and off the court, in my life. That’s when we integrate different biblical principles. We want to see them impacted not only for the short time that they’re athletes, but for the rest of their lives.”
After moving across the country and then all the way to Spain during his professional days, Simien said coming back to settle down in Kansas just felt right.
“We had established Called to Greatness (in Lawrence) when I was still playing, so it seemed like a natural fit,” he said of moving back. “And of course, being close to Leavenworth so I can see my parents and family was important. Lawrence seemed like the right place for me to put down some roots.”
With a growing family — Simien now has three children with wife Katie — he said cares less about his kids inheriting his athletic ability than he does about them embracing his ministry.
“It’s funny because raising my kids close to where I grew up, people always make jokes about having the next All-American,” Simien said. “Really, as far as my wife and I are concerned, the only expectation we have for them is to follow Jesus Christ and love and serve others. If my kids want to play basketball, I’ll teach them, or if they want to play the trombone, then I’ll pay for lessons.”
As for himself, Simien says he hopes to be remembered for more than just what he did on the hardwood.
“I just hope the legacy I leave will be more than just a person who scored points and grabbed rebounds, but as someone who stepped on the court during the two best years of my career to honor and glorify God,” Simien said. “Someone who’s heart wasn’t for wins and losses and for himself, but to see people’s lives impacted by Jesus Christ as his was.
“I hope my legacy will be much more than what I accomplished on the court.”
Simien will be inducted into the KU Athletics Hall of Fame on Sept. 25 as an individual and as a member of the 2004 men’s basketball team. A date has not yet been announced for when his jersey will be hung in Allen Fieldhouse.
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Wayne Simien is already a star in about every sense of the word.
The Leavenworth native starred at the University of Kansas, was a lottery pick and a member of an NBA champion team in Miami. He’s been inducted into the KU Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the 2002 and 2003 teams, but later this month he’ll get a place as a individual and this winter his jersey will hang in the hallowed rafters of Allen Fieldhouse.
He’ll be just the 26th player in Kansas’ storied basketball history to have his jersey retired.
But rewind 20 years and Simien, the son of Wayne Sr. and Margaret Simien, was just another kid playing hoops in Leavenworth. Growing up, he said, playing basketball at KU and beyond was a goal he wasn’t sure he’d be able to achieve.
“It was always a dream of mine to play at Kansas and go on to the NBA,” Simien said. “Being from a small town like Leavenworth, I never really felt like it would be a reality, but I didn’t let that stop me from working hard and trying to be the best I could be. There’s so many people in that community that embraced that dream and did the best they could to help me make it a reality, from coaches to teachers, I had a lot of support.
“Low and behold, those dreams become more of a reality the older that I got. It was great to see them come to fruition.”
That support, he added, makes it hard for him to even imagine spending his youth anywhere else.
“I love my hometown,” Simien said. “It’s a great community to be raised in. I just really enjoyed everything about it, the culture that comes from Fort Leavenworth and spending time up there, I can remember spending hours playing up there and having new friends come in from the military. ... I just couldn’t imagine any other place to grow up.”
A hometown hero in Leavenworth, Simien put himself in some elite company during his playing days. He won a state championship with Leavenworth High School in 2000 and was a McDonald’s All-American and Gatorade Kansas Player of the Year his senior season in 2001. From there he went on the University of Kansas, where he helped the Jayhawks to three regular-season Big 12 titles, was twice an All-American — including concensus first-team as a senior in 2005. He also earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors his senior year, and was named the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award winner that season.
Simien is one of just 20 Kansas players to be named a consensus first-team All-American, joining a presitgious list that includes the likes of Danny Manning, Wilt Chamberlain and Clyde Lovellette to name a few. Out of Kansas he was selected in the first round of the NBA draft, taking a place on the 2005-2006 Miami Heat team that won an NBA title. He also played professionally in Spain before retiring in 2009.
The decision to retire, he says, wasn’t a difficult one at all.
“It wasn’t hard for me to walk away,” Simien said. “It was one of the few times in my life when I’d never been more sure about the timing to step away. There was certainty in what I was stepping into.”
Simien put professional basketball aside to focus on his Called to Greatness organization, which combines sports and minstry.
“I was really excited about moving into my minstry in Lawrence,” he said. “It wasn’t something I was hesistant or unsure about, I was just excited to make that transition.”
Called to Greatness was established while Simien was still in the NBA, at that time basing mostly on conducting summer camps during his offseason from basketball. The opportunity to pursue that minstry full-time has allowed Simien to see it blossom into something he never thought possible.
“I had no idea it would grow to what it’s become today,” Simien said. “It’s some of the most challenging work I’ve done, but by far the most fulfilling. I’m excited to see it continue to grow and serve and impact the lives of other people.”
Called to Greatness has expanded from basketball to now include flag football, baseball and dance as well as a minstry for coaches. Simien will also expand his role at his alma mater this year, taking on a chaplain role for not just the Jayhawks basketball team but the football team as well. Simien said he feels fortunate to be able to share his experiences with college athletes now going through the same things.
“I’m a mentor,” Simien said. “Being a former college athlete, I have an understanding of what they go through, so I’m helping them overcome those things, not just as an athlete but as a father and a husband. I mentor the guys on a lot of issues. It’s been great to get to work with the college guys.”
It was during his college days, between his junior and senior seasons at KU, that Simien turned down a different path by becoming a Christian.
“During that time I had basically everything the world says should make you happy,” Simien explained. “During that time I had only been living for myself and basketball and had achieved a measure of fame. I had a future in the NBA and access to drugs and girls and alcohol, but none of that fulfiled me. I wanted to be fulfilled and I found that in living my life for Jesus Christ.”
Now, Simien said, he uses the success that he’s achieved to help him reach out in his ministry.
“I think the experiences I’ve had as a successful collegiate and NBA player, teaching the game in that way draws the kids in,” Simien said. “Also, and we think more importantly, we’re able to share off the court things that helped me become successful on the court, and off the court, in my life. That’s when we integrate different biblical principles. We want to see them impacted not only for the short time that they’re athletes, but for the rest of their lives.”
After moving across the country and then all the way to Spain during his professional days, Simien said coming back to settle down in Kansas just felt right.
“We had established Called to Greatness (in Lawrence) when I was still playing, so it seemed like a natural fit,” he said of moving back. “And of course, being close to Leavenworth so I can see my parents and family was important. Lawrence seemed like the right place for me to put down some roots.”
With a growing family — Simien now has three children with wife Katie — he said cares less about his kids inheriting his athletic ability than he does about them embracing his ministry.
“It’s funny because raising my kids close to where I grew up, people always make jokes about having the next All-American,” Simien said. “Really, as far as my wife and I are concerned, the only expectation we have for them is to follow Jesus Christ and love and serve others. If my kids want to play basketball, I’ll teach them, or if they want to play the trombone, then I’ll pay for lessons.”
As for himself, Simien says he hopes to be remembered for more than just what he did on the hardwood.
“I just hope the legacy I leave will be more than just a person who scored points and grabbed rebounds, but as someone who stepped on the court during the two best years of my career to honor and glorify God,” Simien said. “Someone who’s heart wasn’t for wins and losses and for himself, but to see people’s lives impacted by Jesus Christ as his was.
“I hope my legacy will be much more than what I accomplished on the court.”
Simien will be inducted into the KU Athletics Hall of Fame on Sept. 25 as an individual and as a member of the 2004 men’s basketball team. A date has not yet been announced for when his jersey will be hung in Allen Fieldhouse.
