Regan: Jimmertime

“Jimmertime!” Is the phrase I yell out every time I shoot from three-point range in pick-up games now. Although the ball has the annoying tendency of not going into the basket all that often, (very unlike The Jimmer) when it does happen to go in I can run back down the court feeling like a champ. Unless you’ve spent the last nine months walking around with a blindfold and earmuffs you know the countless words that begin with “Jimmer” is in reference to former BYU basketball star and current Sacramento King Jimmer Fredette. I, along with thousands of people have become a Jimmercenarie (zealous fan of Jimmer Fredette).

 Obviously a guy with a name that can be transformed into any part of speech, with cheeks that resemble a chipmunks, and who can drain three’s from 35 feet is going to be loved. However, now that he’s left BYU for the NBA, he’s still loved but how he’ll do as a pro is being questioned. Several think that The Jimmer will flop in the NBA and that he’ll spend the majority of his career buried at the end of the bench. Among these, is the well know writer Rick Reilly who wrote an article stating his case after BYU lost to Florida in the NCAA Tournament, basically claiming Jimmer is overrated and won’t be a good NBA player. Here’s some quick advice for all sports fans out there: if Rick Reilly writes or says anything about a sport that isn’t golf he’s wrong about 94.2 percent of the time. As a result, we can all conclude The Jimmer will be a good NBA player simply because Rick Reilly stated the opposite.

Sports Illustrated’s Kelli Anderson stated in an article earlier this year on Jimmer that “Facing the opposition's best defender (or, more often, defenders), he pulls up going right or going left. He shoots off the dribble, off the wrong foot, off balance, off the glass. He finishes in traffic with a dozen deft moves, including a scoop shot, originating from his waist, that he can make with either hand” With his vast array of shots and his ability to make all of them Jimmer is simply not guardable. It’s not like BYU is a hotbed of NBA talent, so Jimmer was forced to deal with double and triple teams sometimes extending full court and he was still able to put up almost 30 points a game with very good percentages from the field and three-point line. Teams tried putting long, athletic forwards on him…didn’t work. Teams then tried putting quick, smaller guards on him…didn’t work. Then teams tried putting both on him at the same time…didn’t work. Jimmer still managed to get off the shot he wanted.

The NBA always has room for shooters and Jimmer is easily the best shooter to enter the league since J.J. Redick. In some of his pre-draft workouts for NBA scouts he would shoot over 80 percent from beyond the three-point line. As he demonstrated in college when he crosses half-court he’s in range to drill it. I remember watching BYU play San Diego State and he pulled up from well over 30 feet and thinking to myself “noooo what are you thinking” and then the ball dropped through the bottom of the net. If I didn’t hate San Diego State I might have felt bad for them, it’s just not fair to have a guy on the other team who can do that.

In his pre-draft workouts he proved his strength, speed, and athleticism beating all other guards in the bench press, and competing with and even beating known speedster Kemba Walker in a few of the speed/agility drills. Jimmer is deceptively athletic and deceptively quick. He doesn’t necessarily look fast or flashy but he is still able to get where he needs to, kind of like a healthy Brandon Roy (Portland guard, former all-star). Furthermore, as coaches such as Jay Wright of Villanova have pointed out, The Jimmer plays with an on-court aggressiveness that many other player can match, he plays with a little bit of cockiness which is what you need when your not as big or athletic as your competitors, I would say he’s similar to Allen Iverson in this respect. You may beat him occasionally, but he’s going to get right back up and try to get you right back.

In addition he’s a very good passer and a crazy good ball handler. He understands the game extremely well and as a result is able to make good reads and decisions. I think he could very easily average near double digits in assists in a couple of years if he stays at the point. As for his defense, which any Johnny Raincloud will bring up in regards to Jimmer, he will be completely fine. As I have already stated he has the athletic ability to do it and as long as he puts in the right effort he’ll be fine. NBA scouts said they were surprised at how well his defense was. Admittedly, he wasn’t the best one on one defender in college but considering the load he shouldered on offense and the amount of minutes he played there’s no way he could have been an elite defender. For the most part he guarded a weak player and played good team defense kind of the way Kobe Bryant did this last season. Plus, the fact of the matter is you don’t necessarily have to play defense in the NBA (or even care about it) and be perfectly fine. Just ask Steve Nash, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, among others. If you can pass and especially score the way Jimmer can you can make a very good living in the NBA.

If I had to make a prediction I would say Jimmer will be a future all-star. I think he will eventually average 18-20 points and 7-9 assists a game. Along with those nights where he hits three shots that initially make his coach start to look down the bench for a sub and then when the shot falls in just shakes his head in amused disgust, if that makes sense. Jimmer Fredette will always be a scorer. Ten years from now Jimmermania will still be going on in full force, and people like me will still be shouting out “Jimmer” every time they hoist up a three pointer.

* For the complete Jimmer glossary type in The Jimmer on Google and go The Jimmer Glossary in the Deseret News, written by Dick Harmon. It's where I got my Jimmer words. I hope this is a proper bibiliography.