Ben Anderson: Why isn't Jimmer in the NBA?

SALT LAKE CITY — Jimmer Fredette is once again making headlines playing American basketball.

No, he has not signed with an NBA team; Jimmer is competing in The Basketball Tournament, playing for a team bearing his name, Team Fredette, and making headlines along the way.

Team Fredette advanced to the semifinal for the $2 million winner-take-all tournament and will look to move onto the championship game Friday night should they advance past Eberlein Drive, a team featuring former Jazzman Jeremy Evans, on Thursday night.

It should come as no surprise that Team Fredette has been led by the high-scoring BYU product, who has poured in 69 points over the last two games, including 41 points Friday night in a come-from-behind victory over the Fort Wayne roster.

Jimmer’s game in TBT should be familiar to BYU fans, as he regularly pulls up for deep 3-point shots, one-footed running jump shots off screens, and twisting finishes in the paint over bigger defenders. Much like he was at BYU, Jimmer appears simply unguardable by his competition.

His recent play in the tournament has once again sparked a discussion (read argument) about whether or not Jimmer is an NBA-level player. Much like Jimmer’s pre-NBA career, fans and doubters alike have evidence of why he could, or couldn’t, make a successful return to the NBA.

The argument for Jimmer is simple: when given the opportunity, he’s a world-class shooter and scorer, and is able to make shots from anywhere beyond half-court. In the modern NBA, where shooting is at an all-time premium, it’s hard to imagine a player with Jimmer’s offensive skill set not adding to an NBA roster.

The argument against Jimmer is equally simple, but maybe harder to understand, as scoring is the most highly-valued skill set by NBA fans, and rightfully so. Scorers make All-Star appearances and get high money contracts, so it feels like an anomaly that Jimmer has done neither.

The main arguments against Jimmer are due to his poor defensive abilities. Measuring in at 6 feet even, with a 6-foot-4 wingspan, he lacks elite height and length to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball. Mixed with below the rim athleticism and slow lateral quickness, Jimmer simply can’t stay in front of NBA caliber players.

Much like his advantage of being a perimeter scorer, in a league infatuated with perimeter scoring, his defensive limitations are more glaring than ever. But perhaps more concerning for Jimmer was the lack of offensive efficiency when he was in the NBA.

While there are several examples of successful undersized scorers with serious defensive liabilities making it in the NBA — see the Denver Nuggets' Isaiah Thomas — Jimmer has never seen his offensive production translate at the NBA level. For his career, he averages just 6.0 points per game, 1.0 rebound, and 1.5 assists in 13 minutes per game. He shoots a respectable but not eye-opening 41 percent from the floor, and 38 percent from the 3-point line

The good news for Jimmer and his fans is that it’s not a foregone conclusion that his NBA career is over, though. At 29 years old, nobody should expect him to have unreached potential that could transform him into an upper echelon NBA player, but he may be able to find a spot as a low-minute reserve, bringing big minute experience from China.

Jimmer himself hasn’t ruled out an NBA future, telling Yahoo Sports!: “Things have changed a lot from when I entered the league with 3-point shooting now at a real premium as well as guys who can really hit the deep threes and give their superstars space to operate. There’s a lot of transition, a lot of moving the ball, things I excel in, so I think the league has really changed to my favor since I got into the NBA.”

Jimmer likely won’t find his way into the NBA next season, as his contract will keep him in China for another season. But with another productive season overseas, he may be able to earn a camp invite with an NBA team, where his shooting veteran presence could earn him a guaranteed contract.

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