Patrick Kinahan: Will Fredette take another shot at the NBA?


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SALT LAKE CITY — Thousands of miles away from his desired location, in a league hardly respected, Jimmer Fredette is back in the spotlight, rekindling the frenzy that was his senior year at BYU.

Scoring 73 points in any professional league, even if it is in China, will garner attention. Especially if you’re the player with the cute first name, the one who captured the college basketball world in 2010-11.

After not doing much in the NBA over parts of five seasons — "washing out" might be a harsh but accurate phrase — Fredette signed with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association. With the basketball in his hands, exactly like it was in college, Fredette has returned to lighting up the scoreboard and dazzling audiences.

The zenith came last Sunday when he poured in 73 points, the fourth highest ever in the CBA. His success has resurrected thoughts of him rejoining the NBA.

“There is very little defense being played in China,” said former BYU coach Steve Cleveland, who has watched games in the Chinese league. “It almost looks like an all-star game.”

But that’s to not say Fredette won’t get another shot at the league. Surely, the NBA has a place for a pure shooter.

Maybe.

“There are so many guys in that league that can’t shoot, you’d think there could be a role for a guy like that,” Cleveland said during an interview with David James and myself on 97.5-FM and 1280-AM. “One of the problems is he needs to have the ball in his hands a lot because he scores off the dribble. In China, he’s got the ball constantly.”

Therein lies the problem.

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At BYU, coach Dave Rose created an offense that entirely centered around Fredette. Using a variety of moves, he was sensational at creating his own offense or setting up his teammates.

For a coach drawing much criticism for his team’s lackluster performance this season, Rose was brilliant in giving Fredette unrestricted freedom. The result has gone down in BYU lore, as Fredette led the program to its first Sweet 16 appearance in 30 years and became the National Player of the Year.

Caught up in the Fredette frenzy, the Sacramento Kings acquired Fredette with the 10th pick of the draft in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. Four NBA All-Stars — Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler and Isaiah Thomas — were all drafted after Fredette.

Before venturing to China, he also played for the Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks and the Development League. He was the MVP in the D-league All-Star game.

At best, Fredette could stick again as a stand-still shooter playing off his teammates. Plenty of NBA teams have such role players.

"All I know is, if you play him, he will score, and I've been saying that for the last five years,” Rose said on his radio show on KSL.

But there’s that problem of playing defense, a facet of the game that isn’t Fredette’s strong suit, to be kind. He practically wasn’t required to play D in college and didn’t do it well during his first NBA stint.

Then again, as Cleveland points out, great defensive players often can’t shoot as well as Fredette. Still only 27 (his birthday is Feb. 25) he needs only one NBA general manager to like him.

Fredette also has the option of staying in China, where he can continue to build his legend and likely rake in the cash in endorsements and other opportunities. But there’s nothing like sticking in the world’s best league.

In the beginning, Fredette’s sympathizers always pointed out that he never got a fair chance with the badly mismanaged Kings. But over time, it turned out several executives and coaches were not wrong.

If it comes to it, maybe the sixth NBA team will be a charm.

"I hope that he does get a chance,” Cleveland said. "He’ll have to change the way he does certain things and the way he scores. He’s young enough — it’s worth another chance.”

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