2-sport athlete Sims transitioning from gridiron to hardwood

He hadn’t touched a basketball since August, but that didn’t stop Dion Sims from believing he could step on a court and compete with one of the top teams in the nation.

Sims, who was a member of the MSU football team in the fall, turned in his cleats for a pair of sneakers this week and officially joined the MSU men’s basketball team as a forward.

“The opportunity was there, and I couldn’t pass it up,” he said. “This is a great team; it’s a great school to do both.”

Sims was introduced to the team at a meeting Monday, where he was welcomed with open arms.

“It was great. Everybody treated me as if I was already here,” he said. “I felt like I’ve been here for a while. Everybody’s cool, everybody talks; it’s a shoulder to lean on.”

Sims is no stranger to the hardwood.

He averaged 21.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game last year as a senior at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Preparatory, finishing fourth in the voting for Michigan’s Mr. Basketball in 2009. Sims’ new teammate, MSU freshman center Derrick Nix, won the award.

“Everybody knew who he was, pretty much, already,” sophomore forward Draymond Green said. “It’s great to have him. We’re excited to have him, and we’re going to accept him like he’s one of us.”

Sims played tight end on the football team this season and saw a good amount of playing time on the gridiron — considering he was a true freshman playing at a position of depth for the team.

Sims caught 11 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns while seeing action in all 13 games.

Head coach Tom Izzo was cautiously optimistic about Sims on Tuesday — before he had seen Sims practice.

“I say this politely, but don’t expect the world of a kid coming out in January,” Izzo said.

“(It is) so much different than when he comes out in November, and I’m hoping I’ll never have him until January, but he is one of those guys that has the skills. He has some toughness. I think he’s a quick learner, I think he has a desire to play, and that’s exciting to me.”

Sims said he felt a little rusty at his first practice on Tuesday, but teammates said they know he has the ability to help the team.

“He was known for basketball way before he was known for football, but you could tell he’s still got skills, he just has to get polished back up,” Green said.

“It’s tough coming here from playing football for seven straight months to just coming on the basketball court. It’s two completely different shapes. He looked pretty good in there, and I think he’s going to help us out.”

Sims committed to the MSU football program last winter with the promise that he would have the shot to join the hoops team.

“It was a big part of my decision (to come to MSU),” he said. “I didn’t want to turn back on the decision that I had made. They didn’t turn on me. They were honest from day one. I just couldn’t pass it up. I saw a great opportunity.”

He also said he got the all clear from head football coach Mark Dantonio.

“(Dantonio) asked me if I still wanted to do it, and I told him I did, so he just told me to go for it,” Sims said of Dantonio. “I’m going to still do football workouts during basketball probably, just to stay in football shape a little bit. He just told me to go for it.”

Sims said he weighs 265 pounds — 15 pounds less than when the football season began — and is hoping to lose another 15 while getting into basketball shape.

A dual-sport athlete is not uncommon in East Lansing. Matt Trannon successfully played the same two sports at MSU from 2002-06.

“I think we’re used to Trannon coming out and almost starting on a Final Four team, and Sims might be a better player,” Izzo said. “I don’t know that yet, but it’s just the timing of everything that is going to be a little harder for him the first year.”

Both Sims and junior guard Kalin Lucas hail from St. Mary’s, but they didn’t interact much in high school because Sims transferred there when Lucas was a senior — although Izzo said Lucas helped the school recruit Sims.

“He looked really good. He shot the ball well — his handles look alright,” Lucas said regarding Sims’ first practice.

“He’s been out there for months playing football, but I think he did well today, and I think his conditioning looked good too.”

Lucas also joked that Sims’ impressive football physique could scare opponents.

“Of course he can (intimidate); he’s huge,” Lucas said. “He’s a big dude, but at the same time, I do think he can help us.”