PJ Hall's Decision to Sit and Learn From Aamir Simms Paying Off for Clemson

After sitting and learning from Aamir Simms during his freshman season, PJ Hall has now become a key piece for Brad Brownell's Clemson Tigers.

Sam Navarro

Many players tend to take huge jumps in their development between their first and second seasons, and that has absolutely been the case for Clemson's PJ Hall.

As a freshman, Hall averaged 3.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in nearly 10 minutes per contest. Now a sophomore with the Tigers (9-4, 1-1), Hall leads the team in scoring (14.4 PPG) and is the second leading rebounder (6.3 RPG). 

The 2019-20 Gatorade Player of the Year in South Carolina has made such a huge leap, it even caught head coach Brad Brownell a little off guard.

"He's made huge gains," Brownell said. "He was probably a month or two ahead of where I thought he would be. I thought it would take him until Christmas time to really be comfortable and be as confident as I want him to be and needed him to be. But that really wasn't the case. I mean, he started the year with pretty good confidence."

Brownell credits all the work that Hall put in over the offseason, saying he now sees a player that is more physically ready to produce at the highest level.

"He was a talented guy that needed strength," Brownell said. "He's really transformed his body. His offseason with our strength coach was outstanding, and he was working with him twice a day a few times and came back all summer. And I just think he transformed his body. He's in much better shape, he's physically stronger, he can play longer. He's tougher, he's tougher-minded

Throughout the recruiting process, Brownell was extremely transparent with Hall, telling him up front that if he came to Clemson, he would not start immediately. Part of the pitch also included telling Hall that if he did in fact choose the Tigers, sitting for a season, and learning from former All-ACC standout Aamir Simms might be in his best interest.

"I told him when I recruited him that, you know, he wouldn't start if he came to Clemson," Brownell said. "I know a lot of people were telling him that he would start there. But that playing with Aamir Sims for a year would be the best thing for him. And that's exactly what is transpired."

One year later, that decision looks to have paid off, and in a big way. Now Hall is attempting to provide that same kind of guidance he received as a freshman in the program.

"Aamir's leadership and mentorship, those two just battled every day together and he took him under his wing and really coached him and helped him," Brownell said. "And now that's what's great about our program is now you see him trying to do the same things with Ben Middlebrooks, and Ian Schefflin. He's just grown a great deal as a player. And obviously, his understanding of what we're trying to do has been terrific."

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