How Clemson's Dabo Swinney, Aamir Simms formed a bond
Before Aamir Simms ever signed with Clemson and long before he blossomed into a star for the Tigers, the Virginia native met Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney during a recruiting visit.
That ended up being the start of a relationship between the two, one that has grown throughout Simms’ time in the Upstate.
“It kind of started back on my visit just talking to him. Since I stepped foot on campus Dabo has been in my corner and wanted to see me succeed and take our program to the next level,” Simms said Wednesday, ahead of Friday’s NCAA Tournament opener against Rutgers. “He’s done nothing but support me.”
Dabo Swinney speaks to the crowd at a Clemson basketball game. (Doug Buffington/Getty Images)
Simms hears from Swinney often during the season, whether it be after a win or a loss.
Last year when Clemson beat North Carolina in Chapel Hill to snap a 59-game road losing streak to the Tar Heels, Swinney reached out to Simms as his football team was in New Orleans preparing to play LSU in the national championship game.
“Really just happy for Brad and his whole team. I texted Aamir Simms right away and texted back and forth with him last night,” Swinney said last January. “Just super proud of those guys.”
Other times, Swinney reaches out after a loss.
“If we lose he’s one of the first people to text me and jump on me and kind of give me pointers and just keep talking to me,”Simms said. “In my ear about how to lead the team and stuff like that.”
Simms and the seventh-seeded Tigers will face No. 10 seed Rutgers Friday night in the NCAA Tournament as they try to make a postseason run.
Simms has already heard from Swinney ahead of the start of the Big Dance and added that Swinney has encouraged him to push Clemson’s basketball program to a new level over the years.
Obviously Swinney knows something about building up a program as he has led the Tigers to six straight ACC titles while winning two national championships.
“Our relationship has definitely been mutual, and just seeing the success he’s had has definitely been an inspiration to me and motivation for us to get our program to the next level, similar to what he did,” Simms said. “He wants nothing but to see us succeed and take our program to the next level.”