Anfernee Simons Dedicates Game To Grandfather

Following a career-high performance against the Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers’ guard Anfernee Simons made one thing abundantly clear in his walkoff interview: this game was dedicated to Jake Carter, his grandfather. Simons lost Carter to pancreatic cancer on Sunday. According to Jason Quick of the Athletic, Simons had the fortune to be able to spend time with his grandfather this last weekend prior to his passing. Tameka Simons told Quick she believed it was fate that allowed Simons to come home to Florida after testing positive for coronavirus, then negative. Two negative tests are required to exit NBA protocols.

“I’m a person of faith, and I believe it was meant to be that Anfernee could see my dad and then get back and do what he did today,” Tameka said. “I believe all things come together for a reason. Even though it’s not always what you want, it’s what is supposed to be.”

According to Tameka Simons, Anfernee and his grandfather had an exceptionally tight relationship, as Simons was Carter’s only grandson.

“Oh my goodness,” Tameka said. “Every time you saw my dad, it would be him in Portland Trail Blazers gear. Every single day. It was him saying ‘I’m not going to tell you I’m ecstatic about my grandson, but I’m going to show you.’ So, every picture of him, he has Portland gear on. Top to bottom. He loved it.”

There is no doubt that Simons honored Jake Carter’s legacy with his 43-point, seven-assist game against the Hawks.

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