Know the Prospect: Jimmer Fredette

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via www.ksl.com

Evening ya'll.  If this were the radio, I would be starting this off with "First-time caller, long-time listener."  Would the blog equivalent be "First-time poster, long-time reader?"

Anyway, since it was announced the Knicks were working out BYU's Jimmer Fredette and Tennessee's Allen Iverson... Bobby Maze, I figured that it would be a good opportunity to do a profile on one of my favorite college basketball players, Jimmer Fredette.  Draft Express doesn't have Jimmer going to the NBA until next year, and that isn't until the mid-second round.  But he is still testing the waters and after his first round performance last year, he should get looks from a lot of teams.  More on Jimmer after the jump.

Here is the run-down on Jimmer:

• Jimmer hails from the small high school of Glens Falls, NY (the city that hosts the NY State Basketball Championships, where he led tiny Glens Falls High School to the Class D State Championship as a senior).  I watched him that tournament at Glens Falls and thought a) Man that kid's got a funny name.  b) Wow, that kid can fill it up.  At first it was a novelty act, but the guy had some undeniable talent.  He then went across the country to Provo to play point guard for BYU. 
• As a junior, he averaged 22.1 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game for the Cougars. 
• Jimmer's measurements: 6' 2", 195 lbs.  Decent size for a point guard, but these measurements do make him the smallest point in the draft.   
• Shooting: Wow. Jimmer can make it rain, and from anywhere.  He is a great three-point shooter, and what is more promising is that his three-point percentage went up each year at BYU (33% to 38% to 44%).  He can catch-and-shoot, shoot off of screens, or he can crossover-step back.  That move leaves a lot of lingerie on the dance floor.  He shot a solid 46% from the floor, and 89.2% from the charity stripe.  
• Scoring: Jimmer is no one-trick pony.  He can score in a variety of ways.  He can kill with the shot, and if you try and get in his grill, he has enough savvy to get into the lane.  He is great at hanging in the air and absorbing contact.  He doesn't waste that sweet free throw stroke by getting to the line a lot.  Last season, he averaged 7.38 free throw attempts per game, which was good for 24th in the nation. he was also able to average that 22 points a game on 14.4 shots.  Pretty damn efficient.  The only knock is that sometimes he would force the action in order to get his scoring going.  This would involve plenty of heat check threes and lay-ups to try and get to the line.
• Point-Guard Skills: Jimmer is definitely more of a scoring point guard, similar to DWTTD.  Last season, he only had one game with double-digit assists and had one game where he notched zero.  There were a lot of games in the middle, though.  He also did a great job of taking care of the ball.  He only averaged 2.7 turnovers per game, and he had a negative assist/turnover ratio in just 6 games last season.  He also just appears very natural with the ball in his hand.  He has great court vision, especially when driving the lane.  
• BYU plays a fast-paced style, an offense that a certain Coach Pringles should be familiar with.  He wouldn't need a lot of time to adjust.
• Defense: Jimmer is not the greatest defender.  His lateral quickness is sub-par, and his athleticism puts him at a disadvantage.  He does have enough basketball IQ to get crafty steals, averaging just over 1 a game.  He certainly is no DWTDD, and this is probably the weakest part of his game.
• Jimmer is used to playing in hostile environments.  Case in point: when he was 18, he began playing in a prison rec league.
•  Let's take a look at some video:

• BYU's Jimmer Fredette scores 49 points against Arizona (via TheLatterdaySaints)

  and, let's take a look at the inner Jimmer:

  BYU Basketball: Jimmer Fredette (via truebluesports)

  Things to take away:
• He has range.  
• He has some serious stones.
• His real name is "James."  Like anyone is ever going to call him James again.
• His favorite player was only the greatest point guard of all time.  Let's hope he has dreams of becoming him.
• I don't want to make any assumptions, but it appears he might be open to polygamy.  Get this man in touch with Bill Paxton and the rest of the cast of "Big Love."
• And Finally, the Clyde factor.  Do you know how much fun would have with the name Jimmer?  I can see it now.  "Jimmer is beginning to simmer!"  "Jimmer the winner!"  I wouldn't put it past Clyde to bring "Fredette" into the mix as well.  It would be a joy to listen to.

So that is Jimmer Fredette.  It still remains to be seen whether or not he will stay in the draft (most people think he will return to BYU).  It certainly won't hurt to give the kid a look.  I think his combination of shooting and familiarity with a fast-paced offense would benefit him a great deal.  There will be plenty of point guards floating around in the second round (Vasquez, possibly Collins, Randle, Scheyer Face).  I think that Jimmer would be a nice second round pick that could do some real damage in the D'Antoni system.  What do you guys think?