When Jimmer came to town

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SALT LAKE CITY — Jimmermania returns to Utah Saturday as the Utah Jazz host the Sacramento Kings, with former BYU superstar Jimmer Fredette making his first professional appearance in Utah since leaving BYU.

Since the NBA schedule was first released, many have anticipated the arrival of Saturday's game, giving fans an opportunity to see their beloved star at the highest level of competition in person. After leading the Cougars to their first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 1981 and an impressive senior season filled with awards and accolades, Utahns have been obsessed with Fredette, tracking his every move and checking his stat line every game night.

And there is great reason for fans to follow his every move. Fredette brought BYU basketball into the national spotlight, with many spectators from around the country cheering for one of Utah's own. National media members were mesmerized by his "Jimmer-range" threes and his monstrous scoring nights, with Utahns around the state packing the house for a glimpse of the college phenomenon.

The Fredette-led Cougars provided an entertaining season; one that has not been seen since the latter half of the 1990s, when Utah basketball programs were continually in the national spotlight. From the exhilarating back-to-back appearances from the Jazz in the NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls, to the Utah Utes basketball program making it to the NCAA Championship game in 1998, only to fall in a heartbreaking loss to Kentucky. Also, there was the little-known university called Weber State that beat a No. 3 seeded North Carolina Tar Heels team in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 1999.

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Basketball was great, but it eventually faded, only to be resurrected by Fredette and the BYU Cougars. Following BYU's spectacular season, with Jimmer's name becoming a noun, verb, adjective and anything else imagined, many sports analysts and scouts criticized Fredette's overall talent, calling into question his ability to play defense and his ability to make shots for himself in an increasingly fast-paced league.

Fans will forever remember the Rick Reilly

Reilly has since eaten "crow," with Fredette impressing him after an early-season performance. Following Fredette's first preseason game, where he started, scored 21 points and had four assists, Reilly handed Fredette a $5,000 check made out to the Fredette Family Foundation.

However, since Fredette's first preseason game, all has not been perfect for the BYU superstar, who appears less confident in his ability to shoot and play at the NBA level. With 18 games already behind Fredette, he has become a typical rookie, looking to find his place in the heightened level of competition in the NBA. He currently averages 7.9 points, two assists and 1.4 rebounds on a team that needs a lot of work.

And although Fredette has been less of an impact player in the NBA, with some critics already calling him a bust, he is still learning how to be the Jimmer Utahns grew to love. Very few players have the ability to jump into the NBA and dominate the league from day one. Only players like Michael Jordan and LeBron James have been able to take control of a team from the beginning.

Jazz vs. Jimmer

It is likely treasonous to bring up Kobe Bryant in Utah, but during his rookie season, Bryant averaged 7.6 points, 1.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds a game. Now, Bryant is considered one of the best basketball players of all time. Of course Fredette is not the same type of player as Bryant, nor will his career likely pattern the Lakers superstar in most regards, but it goes to show that even some of the best players need time to develop in the NBA.

And if there is anything Fredette knows how to do well, it is getting up for big games. While Saturday's matchup is not that big of a game, at least this early in the season, it is Fredette's first opportunity to highlight his skills in a higher level of competition in front of a home audience.

When the pressure was on in college, particularly for a big game, Fredette took his game to the next level, scoring consistently more than 30 points a game against San Diego State, New Mexico and Gonzaga. Fredette did not seem to shy away from the big games, with some of his best performances coming in big games.

If Fredette manages to regain his confidence in front of a home crowd, it is reasonable to believe that he could have a career-high game against the Jazz. Of course Fredette could have a mediocre game, but with a home crowd behind him, there is no reason for Fredette to lose confidence.

Several Jazz fans will be conflicted about who to cheer for. In a typical game, there is usually not a lot of love for opposing players, particularly with a die-hard Jazz fan base giving it their all every game, win or lose. But Saturday will be different. Every time Fredette touches the ball, expect a similar intensity from the fans, hoping for Fredette to have a great night, while the Jazz cruise on to a victory.