Zavier Simpson
A floor general with a signature skyhook, he became the heart and soul of Michigan basketball, leading them to a national championship game.
Born 1997 (age 29)·American basketball player·Birthday: February 11·Generation Z
Biography
Zavier Simpson arrived at the University of Michigan as a tough, defensive-minded point guard from Lima, Ohio, and left as a program legend. Under coach John Beilein, he transformed from a backup into an indispensable leader, his competitive fire setting the tone for a team built on grit. Simpson's unorthodox but effective running hook shot became a viral sensation and a symbol of his inventive approach to the game. He piloted the Wolverines to the 2018 NCAA championship game and a pair of Big Ten tournament titles, etching his name into Michigan lore not with flashy stats but with an unwavering will to win that resonated deeply with fans.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Zavier was born in 1997, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Zavier Was Born
The biggest hits of 1997
#1 Movie
Titanic
Best Picture
Titanic
#1 TV Show
ER
Zavier's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1997Born
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2002Started school
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2010Became a teenager
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Could drive
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Could vote
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Turned 21
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 29 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the Michigan Wolverines as starting point guard to the 2018 NCAA National Championship game.
- Won back-to-back Big Ten Tournament championships in 2017 and 2018.
- Finished his Michigan career ranked second all-time in assists and third in steals for the program.
- Named to the 2019 All-Big Ten Defensive Team for his tenacious on-ball pressure.
Did You Know?
He is famously known for perfecting a running, left-handed hook shot, a rare move for a guard.
His grandfather, Walt Simpson, was a standout basketball player at the University of Findlay.
Simpson recorded a triple-double in a high school game with 21 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists.
He was nicknamed 'The X-Man' by Michigan fans and commentators.
“I'm the quarterback of the defense; my job is to set the tone every possession.”
