Just 24 hours left to go til the transfer portal closes on the college basketball world and Aztec Nation can let out a brief sigh of relief. Tae Simmons is returning to the Mesa for his official sophomore season.
There wasn’t truly much doubt this was goig to happen with so many players emptying out the cupboard from last season. The amount of opportunity Simmons would be receiving on the court would be unmatched if you truly think about it.
But as each day went by and more names kept entering into the portal with big amounts of money swirling around like the price is right, you just couldn’t be too sure.
In his freshman year out of Simi Valley, California, Tae wasn’t just given playing time, he earned every bit of it for the Aztecs in 2025-2026. Knocking down 5.8 points per game, 64% from the field, 3.4 rebounds and played in 32 games on the schedule—all but one.
Standing at 6’6″ 230 lbs he often played bigger than his listings and class year. By early in the season it was clear to see he could make a big difference, especially on the hustle plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet always.
His energy and enthusiasm through physical play earned him borderline starting minutes at times and when the games would come down towards the crucial stretches, it was Simmons on the court earning his coaches trust for the high pressure moments.
It wasn’t always easy however. Though defensive spirit and smarts will always earn playing time, there were often lessons to be learned on defensive assignments and the consistency off shots at the free throw line and 3-point range leaves a lot of room for improvement.
But to have that next off-season and full year to take the next step is something Aztec Nation will be excited for in building this new look roster and all the configurations Coach Dutcher and staff will have to deal with. And this year coming forth shows much less of those options to work with.
Simmons should have a clear cut pathways towards earning starting minutes without the confusion of finding his role again. The team with additions Bear Cherry now has a formidable big man that should provide a physicality that Simmons can have confidence in when defending the paint.
With newly acquired guard Nick Anderson, should be another consistent & veteran scoring option that could not put over amounts of pressure on the sophomore to feel forced shots are needed to fill up the stat sheet.
Overall, the realistic expectations for Simmons in 2026 shouldn’t be limited to just duplicating last year’s totals either. It’s not a question on ‘if’ but that he should be able to improve both those free throw and 3-point line numbers.
His defensive awareness should rise with another off season in the program. And the individual skill set of his offensive game should widen up his offensive package as he defines his game around the paint and the perimeter.
If he can do all those things and continue to be a positive energizer on and off the floor, this comeback season should be one that Dutcher and staff should look back on fondly when roster retention for this years team is reviewed by the end of next season.
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