Jaaron Simmons,Ben Lammers

Former Ohio guard Jaaron Simmons led the Bobcats with 15.9 points and 6.5 assists per game last season, collecting All-MAC first team honors and MAC All-Tournament accolades.

(John Bazemore | AP Photo)

ANN ARBOR -- Michigan officially has its new point guard for 2017-18.

And he's bringing 98 career games played, 1,101 points scored and 512 assists to the table

U-M basketball formally introduced Jaaron Simmons on Tuesday, confirming that the graduate transfer from Ohio has joined the program. A press release stated Simmons will enroll in grad school at U-M and become immediately eligible for the 2017-18 season.

A 6-foot-1 point guard, he's expected to immediately step in as a starter next season.

"Jaaron will bring additional leadership, experience and court awareness to our team," Michigan coach John Beilein said in the release. "His playmaking and vision on the floor are outstanding and he can really score the ball, too. Best of all, Jaaron is a terrific young man and teammate who we are excited about coaching next year."

Simmons will help fill a significant void left behind by All-Big Ten Second Team point guard Derrick Walton Jr. The U-M grad leaves with 499 assists, the fourth-most in U-M history, and 1,471 career points.

Simmons is as good of a replacement as Beilein could hope for and was perhaps the best available point guard on the market this spring. Having played sparingly as a freshman at Houston before transferring to Ohio, he already boasts 13 more career assists in 29 fewer games than Walton.

In 66 career games at Ohio, Simmons scored 20 or more points in 20 games and handed out seven or more assists in 40 games. His 7.9 assists per game as a redshirt sophomore in 2015-16 ranked third in the nation.

Simmons was expected to be the 2017-18 Preseason Player of the Year in the MAC.He finished last year as a First Team All-MAC and All-MAC Tournament selection.

"Michigan was the perfect fit for me because I will be able to continue to learn and grow as a player and as a person," Simmons said in the release. "Playing under Coach Beilein as well as with my future teammates, we have the potential to do some very special things next year. I look forward to the opportunity to do whatever I can to help reach those goals."

Simmons graduated from Ohio with a bachelor's degree in Specialized Studies with a concentration in Management and Communications.

Originally, Simmons explored the NBA Draft and entered his name as an early entrant, but didn't sign with an agent. Simmons did not land an invite to the NBA Draft Combine, but was in contact with a few teams.

Upon deciding to withdraw from the draft last week, Simmons told MLive he got the feedback he expected.

"It's really the same thing I've always known and that I talked to my coaches about -- just continuing to improve my shot, especially off of the catch-and-shoot," Simmons said last Wednesday. "I shoot it well off the dribble, I have to work on my catch-and-shoot and get more reps."

As a graduate senior, Simmons will lead the backcourt alongside guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman. Xavier Simpson, a sophomore, and Eli Brooks, a freshman, are expected to serve as backups to Simmons.