After hitting 15 three-pointers in a row in shooting drills and burning Duke's Nolan Smith in head-to-head competition, Jimmer Fredette impressed Larry Bird in his workout last week with the Pacers. That's what some of the so-called basketball expers are saying.
The Indiana brass liked Jimmer's overall basketball skills so much that the team is seeking to move up in the draft. The Pacers are evidently convinced that Fredette will be gone by the time the Pacers draft at No. 15 unless they move up.
Plenty of critics are still arguing that Jimmer will be nothing more than a seldom-used backup in the pro league, but I've noticed that most of the doubters base their opinions on some non-facts, such as Jimmer can't pass or Jimmer can't dribble or Jimmer can't create his own shot or Jimmer will have to switch to point guard (when that's all he played at BYU).
Those of us who enjoyed watching most of Jimmer's games at BYU know that creating his own shot is one of his talents, not a shortcoming. The kid has a wicked crossover, an unbelievably deceptive step-back move, very good court vision, great ability to use either hand in the lane, space-making change-of-pace, a really quick spin move and a good vertical leap and quick release. He also is able to brake to a stop and shoot off the dribble as well as anybody else ever.
There's always room in the league for a great shooter, but Jimmer can do some things that some of the superior shooters with whom he has been compared simply couldn't do. Seriously, other than the ability to hit the open three, is there any real similarity between Jimmer and Eddie House? Jimmer is as good a shooter as Steve Kerr and has better ball handling skills and one-on-one moves. The comparisons between Fredette and Mark Price are more accurate, I think, because Price had some overall skills.
Sure, Jimmer's defense is a big question mark. He is confident that he showed good defensive skills at the Chicago combine and his workouts with the Knicks and the Pacers. At BYU he didn't play much individual defense because he would just play good position defense and force his guy into help. And with the BYU bigs constantly getting into foul trouble, the Cougars played a lot of zone, especially at the end of the season.
The truth is that no point guard in the NBA can stay in front of the 10 or 12 quickest guards. Fredette will be another player that nobody can guard on his own.
It was obvious in college that Jimmer had no trouble going one-on-one against anybody, including future NBA players. I don't think any point guard in the NBA will be able to stay in front of him, either.
Some of the top shooting guards and small forwards could probably force Jimmer to give up the ball. Kobe or LeBron, for example, could give him problems. But Jimmer is a willing passer, and in the NBA if Fredette attracts double teams, he'll just dish the ball to somebody who can hit the open shot.
Don't expect to see Jimmer throwing up 30-footers in the NBA. Unless he ends up with an absolutely awful team, he won't be a primary scorer and will pass up the 10-yard shot in favor of a team mate who is 10 to 20 feet from the basket.
But if Jimmer is on a team that generates open threes for him, watch out. Kyle Korver's single season record for three-point percentage could be in jeopardy.
Links:
Indiana very impressed by Fredette in workout
Jimmer drains 15 NBA three-pointers in a row at Pacers workout
