Basketball traveler Tre Simmons adds another stop on journey - Oregon Ducks women's assistant

Months after leading the Garfield girls to a WIAA title in his first season, Simmons joins Kelly Graves' coaching staff, replacing Sadie Edwards

If there was a globe to be spanned in the basketball world, Tre Simmons would be one of its front-and-center explorers.

He has done a little bit of everything in the sport.

And Simmons is about to add another chapter to it - college coach.

Simmons, 41, was announced Tuesday as a new assistant coach for the University of Oregon women's basketball team - just months after completing his first season as the Garfield High School girls coach, leading the Bulldogs to the WIAA Class 3A championship.

"This job couldn't have come at a better time," Simmons said.

As Simmons is the first to point out - timing is everything.

The well-traveled guard - he is a former all-Pacific-10 Conference performer at the University of Washington before playing 14 seasons professionally overseas - had been an assistant coach at his alma mater under Brandon Roy before the Garfield girls job came open last fall.

Simmons was the calming influence for the team during uncertain times, and got the Bulldogs playing their best ball during the 2022-23 playoffs. They defeated Lake Washington for their third consecutive WIAA title last March in the Tacoma Dome.

"Of course, if I didn’t take that (Garfield girls) job, this wouldn’t have existed. If the Oregon staff had not seen me perform on the sidelines, I wouldn’t have had (this) opportunity," Simmons said.

"I'm glad people talked me into taking the job and stepping in, and I did a pretty OK job getting that trophy."

Simmons initially applied for the Ducks' director of women's basketball operations position during the offseason, but plans changed when a coaching opening became available after Sadie Edwards left to join the Baylor staff.

The Simmons' hire comes just more than a month after standout Garfield point guard Katie Fiso gave a verbal pledge to be part of the Ducks' 2024 recruiting class.

"Coach Kelly (Graves) told me this had nothing to do with recruiting Katie," Simmons said, "He told me, 'This is all you and that you deserve it - and we love how you coach.'

"They liked how I am always under control but at the same time, building them up."

As far as being one of the better players in UW history joining the conference rival - Simmons said he has heard from some of his ex-teammates about the move.

"A little bit," he said, chuckling. "But, you know, I was free. I was open."