13 years after JimmerMania, a former faculty star goals for Olympic gold

“Clearly it could be wonderful. It’d be a cherry on prime,” he stated in Las Vegas forward of the Paris Video games. “I really feel like my legacy is sort of set in stone. I’m who I’m. I performed the best way that I performed and lots of people know me from faculty and the way I used to shoot long-range photographs. I believe that’s what I’ll be recognized for, no matter occurs on this Olympics. However to have the ability to win a gold medal? It might elevate it much more.”

Earlier than Jimmer was Jimmer, he was a extremely productive but under-appreciated highschool participant. He averaged 28.8 factors per recreation for Glen Falls Excessive Faculty in upstate New York and completed with one of many highest profession scoring totals in state historical past, but he was evenly recruited by Division I applications. In the end his choice got here all the way down to BYU and native Siena School, and he selected the Cougars partially as a result of his older sister Lindsay went there. 

Regardless of a freshman season at BYU that noticed him begin zero video games and earn minimal minutes on the ground, he broke by as a sophomore. That 12 months he averaged 16.2 factors per recreation whereas beginning all however one matchup. That elevated to 22.1 as a junior and a nation-leading 28.9 as a senior.

It wasn’t simply his stats that captivated basketball followers, it was how he was doing it. At 6-foot-2 and 195 kilos, it was inconceivable somebody his dimension might rating from actually all over the place on the court docket. And he did it typically whereas double-teamed (and generally triple-teamed). 

Fredette led the Cougars to a 32–5 report his senior season and an look within the NCAA Match’s Candy 16, the furthest they’d gone since 1981. Memorable video games embrace 47 factors in opposition to rival Utah on the highway, 43 factors in opposition to beforehand unbeaten San Diego State (that includes future NBA star Kawhi Leonard) and a career-high 52 factors in opposition to New Mexico within the semifinals of the Mountain West Convention Match. Over three NCAA Match video games he averaged 32.6 factors per recreation. 

The frenzy he prompted on the court docket paled compared to life off it. 

“I couldn’t go wherever in Utah with out getting requested for photos and autographs, so I ended going locations with my girlfriend,” Fredette stated. “We simply frolicked in our flats and didn’t do a lot as a result of each time I obtained out, I’d actually get mobbed.”

Fredette would later earn nationwide participant of the 12 months honors and be chosen No. 10 general by the Kings. His legendary faculty profession created expectations like few others earlier than him, and that overwhelming stress was seen in his rookie 12 months. He averaged 7.6 factors a contest over 18.6 minutes, respectable numbers however not for somebody together with his accolades. 

They solely went down from there. 

Fredette’s lack of elite dimension and athleticism was sufficient to get by in faculty however not the professionals. He struggled with shot creation in opposition to longer and sooner opponents. Those self same traits additionally harm him in main methods on the defensive finish. 

For the rest of his time within the NBA, he struggled to search out consistency on the court docket. One night time he’d carry out at a excessive degree and the following he wasn’t capable of finding minutes.

“The toughest half is making an attempt to maintain your confidence degree excessive,” he stated. “You’re like, ‘Man, I simply performed rather well in a single recreation, after which the following recreation or two, I don’t play in any respect. What can I do higher? What did I do fallacious?’ And then you definitely get into the sport and also you’re simply hoping to not make a mistake. And that’s a tough technique to play once you’re an expert athlete in opposition to the most effective gamers on this planet.” 

Sacramento purchased out his contract in 2014 and he bounced across the league in hopes of a rhythm that by no means got here. Fredette signed a 10-day contract with the New York Knicks in 2016, however it wasn’t renewed and he completed the season within the NBA’s Improvement League.

Wanting again, Fredette calls his NBA profession “very up and down” however says he has no regrets about the way it unfolded. 

“I did all I might with what I had at that time,” he stated. “Possibly I want that I used to be a bit of bit extra assured going into a few of these video games. However it was comprehensible of me simply making an attempt to determine it out. I used to be simply proud that I stored pushing and stored doing what I might with the intention to preserve taking part in the sport at a excessive degree and realizing that in some unspecified time in the future, conditions can change after which swiftly you could be profitable. It made me the individual that I’m immediately, and that’s method larger than the basketball side.” 

Fredette determined a change was wanted and headed to Shanghai. The Sharks gave him constant minutes and a extra outlined function within the offense, permitting him to “discover myself and be me once more.” It was notably proven in a 2018 recreation in opposition to Beikong, the place he dropped 75 factors — 40 within the fourth quarter alone. 

Although his time in China was profitable on the court docket, he felt homesick. As a result of pandemic, he spent almost seven months in a bubble away from his spouse, Whitney, and their three younger youngsters. Residing midway all over the world to dribble a ball wasn’t value it to him personally. In 2021, he all however decided it was time to hold up the sneakers and head again to Utah.

Then he obtained a name. 

Fraschilla was tasked with discovering expertise to make up the U.S. Olympic roster. Merely including an NBA man wasn’t a chance: gamers wanted to log a sure period of time with this system and actually decide to a yearlong, worldwide expertise. When he heard Fredette was considering retirement, Fraschilla arrange a lunch in Denver.

They sat collectively for 2 hours in June 2022 discussing what he might carry to the game. 

“’If you wish to do that, you may cement your legacy eternally in basketball since you’ll assist us qualify for the Olympics for the primary time in 3×3,” Fraschilla informed Fredette. 

“I’m in,” he responded.