NEW PODCAST: Wayne Simien - Former Kansas Jayhawks All-American, 2006 NBA Champion

By Jason Romano Apr 15, 2019

Wayne Simien (left) with Jason Romano (right) during a taping of the Sports Spectrum Podcast in Minneapolis. (Photo by Sports Spectrum)

THIS IS EPISODE 281 OF THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST

Wayne Simien is a character coach with the Kansas Jayhawks. He played his college ball with KU, where he was a consensus All-America selection and Big 12 Player of the Year in 2005. His success in college led him to become a first-round selection in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat (29th overall).

Simien played two seasons with the Heat, and earned an NBA championship ring his rookie season as Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal helped Miami to its first-ever championship in the 2006 NBA Finals.

In October 2007, Simien was traded to Minnesota but never played another game in the NBA. He played a few more years overseas before retiring in May 2009 at the age of 26 to pursue ministry work.

On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Simien in Minneapolis during Final Four weekend about his role as a character coach, his testimony of faith in Christ, the state of faith in basketball, and the biggest spiritual struggle now in college basketball.

I’m deeply moved when the Bible describes our lives as being “bought at a price”. Lord help us to live a life worthy of the price Christ paid. Thank you God that when you look at a life that is broken by sin you still count it valuable and redeem it. 🙌🏾#Ransomed

— Wayne Simien Jr. (@waynesimien) February 15, 2019