Sonny Weems

Clarence "Sonny" Weems (born July 8, 1986)[1] is an American professional basketball player for the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. He was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 NBA draft and shortly thereafter traded to the Denver Nuggets. He has since played for the Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA, and has had stints in Lithuania and Russia. At 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), Weems plays both the shooting guard and small forward positions. He was an All-EuroLeague First Team selection in 2014.

Sonny Weems

Weems with Anadolu Efes in March 2018
No. 13 – Guangdong Southern Tigers
Position	Small forward / Shooting guard
League	CBA
Personal information
Born	(1986-07-08) July 8, 1986 West Memphis, Arkansas
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school	West Memphis (West Memphis, Arkansas)
College	Arkansas–Fort Smith (2004–2006) Arkansas (2006–2008)
NBA draft	2008 / Round: 2 / Pick: 39th overall
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Playing career	2008–present
Career history
2008–2009	Denver Nuggets
2008–2009	→Colorado 14ers
2009–2011	Toronto Raptors
2011–2012	Žalgiris Kaunas
2012–2015	CSKA Moscow
2015–2016	Phoenix Suns
2016	Philadelphia 76ers
2016–2017	Maccabi Tel Aviv
2017–2018	Zhejiang Golden Bulls
2018	Anadolu Efes
2018–present	Guangdong Southern Tigers
Career highlights and awards
Chinese Basketball Association champion (2019) All-EuroLeague First Team (2014) 3× VTB United League champion (2013–2015) LKL All-Star (2012) LKL All-Star Day Slam Dunk champion (2012) LKF Cup winner (2012) First-team All-SEC (2008) NJCAA third-team All-American (2005)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Early life

Weems was born with cleft feet, and as a child, he was told that he might not be able to walk or run. He stumbled as a youngster and endured painful childhood nights in corrective shoes before finding his stride and becoming a state long-jump and high-jump champion.[2][3]

High school and college career

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 seasons at UAFS, Weems led the team to a 62–7 record and back-to-back Bi-State Conference Eastern Division titles.[4]

Arkansas Razorbacks

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 was named first team All-SEC after averaging 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.[5] 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.[6] After his team lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Weems later won the State Farm College Slam Dunk Championship held at the Final Four.[7]

Professional career

NBA

NBA draft

In April 2008, Weems accepted an invitation to participate in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, but later decided not to attend.[8] Instead, Weems worked out with 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.[9] Weems was selected with the 39th overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft by the Bulls, but he was traded almost immediately to the Denver Nuggets for a 2009 second-round pick in a three-team trade involving the Portland Trail Blazers.[10][11]

NBA Development League

On December 10, 2008, the Nuggets, for whom he had yet to play because of a surgery for sports hernia and then a groin strain, assigned Weems to their NBA Development League affiliate the Colorado 14ers.[12][13]

Weems averaged 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 10 games for the 14ers.[14][15] On December 14, Weems led the 14ers with 20 points, including 9-of-14 field goals, in a 129–108 home win over the Reno Bighorns.[16] Other notable Weems performances include a team-leading 24 points in a thrilling 99–98 loss to Sioux Falls on December 17,[17] a 26-point effort in a 111–104 loss to the Tulsa 66ers on December 20,[18] 25 points in a 99–95 victory over the 66ers on December 23,[19] and 24 points and 10 rebounds in a 131–120 14ers win over Fort Wayne on December 30.[20] On January 6, 2009, Weems was recalled by the Denver Nuggets.[14]

Denver Nuggets

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.[21]

On July 31, 2009, he was traded along with Walter Sharpe and cash considerations to the Milwaukee Bucks for Malik Allen.[22]

Toronto Raptors

Weems with the Toronto Raptors in 2012

On August 18, 2009, Weems was traded by the Bucks to the Toronto Raptors along with Amir Johnson in exchange for Carlos Delfino and Roko Ukić.[23] 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. He went on to score a career-high 25 points on November 17, 2010 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Europe

Žalgiris Kaunas

On July 8, 2011, Weems signed a one-year contract with the Lithuanian team Žalgiris Kaunas.[24][25] His contract was terminated in March 2012, after he suffered a season-ending ankle injury.[26] Weems later complained on social media saying that he had to go to U.S. to heal his sore ankle, after not receiving any medical care in Lithuania.[27] Over 15 games in the EuroLeague, he averaged 15.5 points and 5 rebounds per game.[28]

CSKA Moscow

2012–13 season

On July 30, 2012, he signed a three-year contract with CSKA Moscow.[29][30] His signing was largely seen as a replacement to former team leader Andrei Kirilenko.[31] On October 18, 2012, he had a EuroLeague career-high 30 points in a 76–71 overtime win over Partizan Belgrade.[32] In his first season with the team, in a roster loaded with big European names like Miloš Teodosić, Nenad Krstić, Theo Papaloukas and Victor Khryapa, CSKA Moscow won 3rd place in the EuroLeague Final Four, after a 69–52 loss to Olympiacos in the semi-final game.[33] Weems was seen as one of the team leaders, a starting small forward who averaged 13.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists over 28 games in the EuroLeague. CSKA eventually won the VTB United League after defeating Lokomotiv Kuban, 3–1, in the final series.

2013–14 season

In the 2013–14 season, CSKA's roster didn't change much, and Weems was again one of the team leaders. On January 17, 2014, he had career-high 10 assists, along with 16 points, in 72–73 EuroLeague loss to Partizan Belgrade.[34] In May 2014, Weems was named the All-EuroLeague First Team of the EuroLeague, for his performances over the season.[35] Although his points per game slightly dropped to 12.2 in the EuroLeague, he improved his defensive play and generally had a bigger impact on the game itself. However, CSKA Moscow was yet again stopped in the semi-final game, this time to the eventual champion Maccabi Tel Aviv.[36] Later in the season, CSKA won its third consecutive VTB United League championship by defeating Nizhny Novgorod, 3–0, in the final series.[37]

On July 4, 2014, Weems extended his contract with the club until 2017.[38]

2014–15 season

In the 2014–15 season, CSKA Moscow advanced to the EuroLeague Final Four for the fourth straight season, after eliminating Panathinaikos for the second straight season in the quarter-final series, 3–1.[39] However, in the semi-final game, despite being dubbed by media as an absolute favorite to advance, they once again lost to Olympiacos. The final score was 70–68, after an Olympiacos comeback in fourth quarter, led by Vassilis Spanoulis.[40] CSKA Moscow then won the third place after defeating Fenerbahçe, 86–80.[41] Weems' third season saw a slight increase in statistics, as he averaged 13.1 points, 4 rebounds and 3.5 assists over 26 games played. CSKA Moscow finished the season by winning the VTB United League, after eliminating Khimki with 3–0 in the final series.[42]

On June 16, 2015, he parted ways with CSKA Moscow to return to the NBA.[43] Over three seasons spent with CSKA, Weems played in 166 games, averaging 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3 assists per game in the EuroLeague and the VTB United League.

Return to the NBA

Phoenix Suns

On July 17, 2015, Weems signed a two-year deal with the Phoenix Suns.[44][45] He made his debut for the Suns in the team's season opener against the Dallas Mavericks on October 28, recording 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in a 111–95 loss.[46] On January 26, 2016, he scored a season-high 12 points in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.[47] On March 5, 2016, he was waived by the Suns after averaging 2.5 points, 1.3 assists, 1.1 rebounds and 11.7 minutes in 36 games.[48]

Philadelphia 76ers

On March 7, 2016, Weems was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia 76ers.[49] Weems struggled during his time with the 76ers, and after straining his right quadriceps on March 26 against the Portland Trail Blazers,[50] he was waived by the team the next day.[51]

Return overseas

Maccabi Tel Aviv

On June 14, 2016, Weems signed a two-year contract with Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv.[52] On January 30, 2017, Weems was released by the club after he failed to complete an anti-doping test.[53]

Zhejiang Golden Bulls

In July 2017, Weems signed with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association.[54] Weems played 38 games for Zhejiang and averaged 31.7 points per game, 8 rebounds and 5.9 assists.

Anadolu Efes

On February 24, 2018, Weems signed with the Turkish team Anadolu Efes for the rest of the season.[55] On March 1, 2018, Weems made his debut in a 64–77 loss to Olimpia Milano, scoring 19 points, along with 6 rebounds and 2 assists.[56]

Guangdong Southern Tigers

On October 8, 2018, Weems signed with the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association.[57]

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	PIR	Performance Index Rating
Bold	Career high

Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the player participated for the team during the season. He also played in domestic competition, and regional competition if applicable.

NBA

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
2015–16	Phoenix	36	0	11.7	.393	.406	.538	1.1	1.3	.3	.0	2.5
2015–16	Philadelphia	7	0	11.1	.333	.222	.500	1.7	.3	.0	.0	2.4
Career		183	47	18.2	.465	.283	.702	2.2	1.4	.5	.2	6.5

EuroLeague

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG	PIR
2011–12	Žalgiris	15	15	29.9	.474	.360	.686	5.0	1.3	.9	.2	15.5	12.7
2012–13	CSKA Moscow	28	27	28.8	.472	.385	.813	2.9	2.1	.8	.1	13.7	11.8
2013–14		29	27	28.5	.442	.354	.754	3.5	3.7	.9	.2	12.2	12.4
2014–15		26	22	26.9	.425	.371	.792	4.0	3.5	1.0	.2	13.1	11.8
2016–17	Maccabi	19	16	27.0	.509	.327	.703	3.3	3.4	.9	.1	11.6	11.1
2017–18	Anadolu Efes	6	6	30.4	.452	.318	.769	3.5	4.0	.7	.0	15.5	13.7
Career		123	113	28.3	.459	.361	.757	3.6	3.0	.9	.2	13.2	12.0

Domestic leagues

Season	Team	League	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2011–12	Žalgiris	LKL	13	12	23.6	.441	.343	.694	3.9	1.9	1.4	.1	9.9
		VTB	16	16	25.4	.474	.342	.735	4.1	2.0	.8	.4	10.3
2012–13	CSKA	VTB	25	19	24.3	.485	.442	.659	2.5	1.7	.7	.1	11.5
		PBL	15	14	24.6	.454	.468	.667	3.1	2.1	.5	.0	11.2
2013–14		VTB	26	25	29.0	.444	.371	.711	3.2	3.3	1.0	.4	11.0
2014–15		VTB	31	26	22.1	.454	.437	.750	2.7	3.5	.6	.2	11.6
2016–17	Maccabi	ISBL	11	9	24.3	.333	.229	.846	3.8	4.5	1.0	.1	7.7
2017–18	Zhejiang	CBA	38	38	38.9	.509	.409	.834	8.0	5.9	1.6	.3	31.7
	Anadolu Efes	BSL	15	10	27.7	.500	.333	.773	3.4	3.1	.7	.1	12.9
2018–19	Guangdong	CBA	54	12	33.2	.566	.371	.786	5.7	6.4	1.6	.2	23.1

References

1. "Sonny Weems NBA Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
2. Coro, Paul (July 11, 2015). "Phoenix Suns' Sonny Weems took the long way back to NBA". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
3. "Suns One on One with Sonny Weems". September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015 – via YouTube.
4. "Arkansas bio". HogWired.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2007.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
5. "Sonny Weems Stats, News, Photos – Arkansas Razorbacks". ESPN. Archived from the original on December 24, 2010. Retrieved February 13, 2014.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
6. "Weems' 31, Townes' double-double help Razorbacks snap 5-game tourney skid". ESPN. March 22, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
7. "College Slam Dunk Participants – 2008". CollegeSlam.com. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
8. Monter, Chris (April 9, 2008). "Ten Pull out of Portsmouth Invitational". Scout.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2008.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
9. Arkansas Democrat Gazette, June 26, 2008.
10. "Nuggets Acquire Draft Rights to Weems". National Basketball Association. June 26, 2008. Archived from the original on February 4, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2014.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
11. "Nuggets acquire Weems from Bulls". Gazette.com. June 26, 2008. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
12. Tomasson, Chris (December 10, 2008). "Nuggets assign Samb, Weems to 14ers". RockyMountainNews.com. Archived from the original on December 15, 2008. Retrieved December 10, 2008.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
13. "Nuggets assign Samb, Weems to 14ers". National Basketball Association. December 10, 2008. Retrieved December 10, 2008.
14. Willis, Paul (January 6, 2009). "Weems, now back in NBA, made best of demotion to D-League". RockyMountainNews.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2009. Retrieved February 15, 2014.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
15. "Sonny Weems D-League Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
16. "Weems Helps Carry 14ers Past Bighorns". National Basketball Association. December 14, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
17. "Forbes Helps Skyforce Scale 14ers". National Basketball Association. December 17, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
18. "66ers Grab Home Win Over Colorado". National Basketball Association. December 20, 2008. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
19. "Nuggets Assignees Weems, Samb Lift 14ers Over 66ers". National Basketball Association. December 23, 2008. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
20. "Weems Paces 14ers Past Mad Ants". National Basketball Association. December 30, 2008. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
21. "Orlando Magic at Denver Nuggets Play-By-Play, January 17, 2009". Basketball-Reference.com. January 17, 2009. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
22. "Denver sends Sonny Weems and Walter Sharpe to Milwaukee for forward Malik Allen". DenverStiffs.com. July 21, 2009. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
23. "Raptors Acquire Johnson And Weems From Milwaukee". National Basketball Association. August 18, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
24. "ZALGIRIS tabs high-flying Weems". Euroleague.net. July 8, 2011. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2014.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
25. "Raptors' Weems heading overseas, signs deal in Lithuania". National Basketball Association. July 8, 2011. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
26. "Sonny Weems officially leaves Zalgiris". Eurobasket.com. April 4, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
27. Freeman, Eric (March 26, 2012). "Sonny Weems can't get his ankle treated in Lithuania, shows us his gross foot". Yahoo!. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
28. "WEEMS, SONNY". Euroleague.net. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
29. "Sonny Weems signed with CSKA". CSKABasket.com. July 30, 2012. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
30. McIntyre, Andrew (October 18, 2013). "Where are They Now: Sonny Weems Edition". SportsMedia101.com. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
31. Maxey, Wendell (August 1, 2012). "With CSKA Moscow, Weems Has Unfinished Business in the Euroleague in Replacing Kirilenko". RidiculousUpside.com. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
32. "CSKA survives overtime thriller at Partizan". Euroleague.net. October 18, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
33. "Olympiacos trounces CSKA, eyes repeat!". Euroleague.net. May 10, 2013. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
34. "Partizan stops CSKA in Coach Vujosevic's return to sidelines". Euroleague.net. January 17, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
35. "2013–14 All-Euroleague First and Second Teams announced". Euroleague.net. May 8, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
36. "Maccabi rallies from 15 down to stun CSKA, advance to championship game". Euroleague.net. May 16, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
37. "CSKA crowned champions!!!". VTB-League.com. June 13, 2014. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
38. "Sonny Weems stays in CSKA till 2017". CSKABasket.com. July 4, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
39. "CSKA Moscow routs Panathinaikos to claim Final Four berth". Euroleague.net. April 22, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
40. "Spanoulis comes through again as Olympiacos stuns CSKA". Euroleague.net. May 15, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
41. "CSKA Moscow beats Fenerbahce in third-place game". Eurolague.net. May 17, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
42. "CSKA wins championship!". VTB-League.com. June 8, 2015. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
43. "Thank you, Sonny!". CSKABasket.com. June 16, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
44. "Suns Sign Teletovic, Weems, Price". National Basketball Association. July 17, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
45. Coro, Paul (July 8, 2015). "Sonny Weems, Ronnie Price to join Suns as backup guards". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
46. "8 Dallas players reach double figures, Mavs rout Suns 111–95". National Basketball Association. October 28, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
47. "Smith, Covington lift suddenly decent 76ers past Phoenix". National Basketball Association. January 26, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
48. "Suns Waive Weems". National Basketball Association. March 5, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
49. "Sixers Claim Sonny Weems Off Waivers". National Basketball Association. March 7, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
50. "McCollum helps Blazers escape with 108–105 win over 76ers". National Basketball Association. March 26, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
51. "Philadelphia 76ers Sign Christian Wood To 10-Day Contract". National Basketball Association. March 27, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
52. "Maccabi tabs scoring forward Weems". Euroleague.net. June 14, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
53. "Maccabi releases Sonny Weems". EuroLeague.net. February 1, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
54. "Sonny Weems moves to China". Eurohoops.net. July 12, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
55. "Anadolu Efes Istanbul signs Sonny Weems". Sportando.com. February 24, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
56. "Sonny Weems returns with 19 points". eurohoops.net. March 1, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
57. "Guangdong Southern Tigers land Sonny Weems". Sportando. October 8, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Basketball-Reference.com
• Sonny Weems at nba.com
• Sonny Weems at euroleague.net
• Sonny Weems at fiba.com
• Sonny Weems at vtb-league.com
• Sonny Weems on Twitter