Are we too color-blind to see Jimmer's greatness?

Whenever a sportswriter or a fan compares a white basketball player to somebody else, it's usually to another white player, usually one who has failed to live up to expectations.

That's why it has surprised nobody to hear predictions that Jimmer Fredette will be another Adam Morrison, in other words, a great white college scorer who seldom leaves the bench in the NBA.

Yes, there are similarities between the two players. Both scored a ton of points, both played in so-called mid-major conferences, and both are white. And that's where the similarities end.

Jimmer is a better shooter, a far better passer, a fantastic ball handler and much quicker. He also has amazing endurance, a trait that Morrison sadly will never have due to his diabetes. Jimmer also is far better at creating his own shot and is one of best players at any level at splitting double teams and making jump shots off the dribble. While Morrison seldom passed (two assists per game), Fredette ended up No. 3 on the career assists list in his conference.

Only 12 players in the history of the NBA made a higher percentage of free throws than Jimmer has so far. Morrison is only slightly better than average.

One of Jimmer's best assets is his ability to create his own shot with a killer crossover, a lightning-fast spin move and a deceptive step-back. He also has a skill that only the finest NBA players possess -- the ability to pull up and consistently make jumpers off the dribble.

Morrison won a college player of the year award and tied for another. Jimmer won a closet full of POY trophies, including the two most coveted awards, the Naismith and the Wooden trophies.

Most people think any white player is slow and unathletic, which is bogus. Jackson Emery, Jimmer's teammate at BYU, has a 40-inch vertical leap. So does Jaycee Carroll, Utah State's all-time leading scorer, one of the finest jump shooters ever to walk this planet. And yet nobody in the NBA picked Carroll, so he went to Europe, where he has led his league in scoring for three straight years.

Fortunately, not all basketball experts are color blind. Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Kenny Smith, Ron Boone and Chris Webber are excellent at evaluating talent, regardless of a player's skin color.

One of Barkley's favorite players is Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs. Is it because of Ginobili's athleticism? No. Even though the Argentinan is athletic, he draws accolades because he plays so well and so aggressively. He breaks down offenses, has a wicked crossover, can penetrate at will, shoots with either hand, is deadly from the three-point line, has a great middle-range game, can finish at the rim, passes as well as a point guard, and has the heart of a lion. Come to think of it, that description fits Jimmer as wellf.

Fredette is not slow, not a bit. In the games I watched, two of them in person, it was obvious to see that the guy was as quick as anybody in college basketball.

Morrison did well at home, and against weak teams. Jimmer does better on the road and against strong teams. Look it up and see how he did when matched against Derek Williams' team at Arizona.

When college coaches attempted to defend Jimmer, they would usually put a quick point guard on him, and when that failed, they would put their best long defender on him, often a future NBA player such as Kawhi Leonard, and Jimmer would blow right by them. It wasn't until they double teamed and often sent a third player at him that opponents were able to keep Jimmer under control. And yet he was better at splitting double teams than any college player since Iverson but a far better passer.

Some writers have compared Jimmer to Kyle Korver of the Chicago Bulls because both shoot extremely well from outside. Fredette is far quicker than Korver and can create his own shot far better. He can shoot as well off a curl as Korver and is a better passer, but do not underestimate Korver, either. He is a much better than average passer and defends acceptably against all opponents except All Stars.

Jimmer is said to lack athleticism. It reminds me how John Stockton was called unathletic and slow for almost his entire career. Almost any game that was nationally televised had some talking head say something along those lines.

"The Jazz are handicapped because their point guard is a step slow."

I must have heard such a statement at least 500 times. And then Stock would proceed to steal the ball, pass like a banshee, dribble like a madman, shoot like no point guard in history to that point, and, at the same time, manage to stay in front of his guy time after time.

Sure, quick guards would blow by him occasionally as they do to everybody. But overall Stockton did as well staying in front of the quick guards as anybody in league history. I wish the Jazz would sell a tape of the Jazz's home game against the 76ers when Stockton was about 38 years old. John stayed in front of AI the entire game and frustrated the little ball hog so much that the 76ers coach had to bench AI to calm him down. Every aspiring point guard should watch that game to see how a great defensive player applies his skills, quickness, athleticism and brains.

As for Jimmer's athleticism, he can jump 36 inches and has some of the quickest moves on the planet. Can you tell me offhand how many NBA point guards jump, say, two inches higher than Jimmer? Answer: Not many. Ronnie Price, Derek Williams, Russell Westbrook and Derek Rose come to mind.

Two of those players went up against Jimmer, by the way, when Jimmer and other college players formed a practice team for USA Basketball's championship team. Incidentally, probably nobody knows better how Jimmer will do in the NBA than the players on that team. Durant called him the world's best scorer. Rose said he wasn't surprised at all by Jimmer's success this past season and said he "played great" in the USA practice games. "He wasn't intimidated by anyone," this season's probable MVP said. Westbrook said this: "He's a great, great, great, great guard. [Wasn't three greats enough?] ... He's going to be a great NBA player." (I guess not, but five might do it.)

Seriously, Jimmer scored more points this past season than any other player had scored in a season for 21 years. Look up the list of people who have had a season like Jimmer's and if you know much about basketball, you'll recognize most of the names even 25, 30, 40 and even 50 years later. Ever hear of Pistol Pete or the Big O?

If Jimmer were black and played at Duke, do you think he would be called overrated, slow and unathletic? I don't think so.