Jimmer Fredette
Encyclopedia
James Taft "Jimmer" Fredette (born February 25, 1989) is an American
professional
basketball
player with the Sacramento Kings
of the National Basketball Association
. He gained national fame during his collegiate career at Brigham Young University
, where he was the leading scorer in all of NCAA Division I basketball during his senior season and earned every major National Player of the Year honor, including the Wooden Award
, the Naismith Award
, the Adolph Rupp Trophy
, and the Oscar Robertson Trophy
. Fredette is a native of Glens Falls, New York
.
to parents Al and Kay Fredette, as the youngest of three children. Named James Taft Fredette, he later received the nickname "Jimmer" from his mother.
From his early childhood, he showed unusual dedication to athletics, his older brother TJ recalling, "He was the most determined, competitive four-year-old I had ever seen." TJ helped Jimmer train for his basketball career since before kindergarten. He regularly played with TJ, seven years older, and TJ's friends on the family's backyard court. Fredette was able to hit three-pointers
at age 5, and developed moves to get around his larger opponents. TJ also remembered that his brother "willed himself to find ways to win, even if he was physically outmatched. From the time he was 10, I was telling everybody he was going to make the NBA."
Other family members assisted Fredette in his development. His father, a financial adviser, introduced Jimmer to schoolyard competition against adults at age 8. As Jimmer developed, his father took him on occasional road trips to Hartford
and New York City
for more intense competition, and also helped to coach his AAU teams. His mother allowed him to bounce basketballs throughout the house, and even built a dribbling studio for him in their basement. Her brother Lee Taft, a personal trainer who now operates a speed training school in Indianapolis
, started him on running drills as a 5-year-old, and still works with Fredette.
Jimmer also has an older sister, Lindsay, Miss Teen New York 1998
. Fredette's father became a Mormon at the age of 18 after meeting missionary
Kimball Rogers—the father of Fredette's BYU teammate Stephen Rogers— While his mother is a Catholic. Fredette, along with his two older siblings, chose to become a Mormon after their parents allowed them to choose their religion.
team led by current Syracuse University
forward Mookie Jones
. He played AAU for the Albany City Rocks alongside current Penn State University
point guard Talor Battle
. Fredette averaged 25 points per game to help the Rocks to a third-place win over the Minnesota Magic at the 2006 AAU National Championships. He also lit up the Sportsfest Tournament at Cedar Beach in Allentown, PA during a prestigious outdoor summer tournament. His performance included four three-pointers in the first half of the championship game fighting against 10–15 mph gusts of wind.
Despite his high school accolades, he went largely unnoticed by the traditional "basketball powers". He received offers from 12 schools and ultimately chose to attend BYU, which was sister Lindsay's alma mater and the flagship school of the LDS Church.
major in college.
On March 11, 2010, Fredette scored 45 points, shooting 10-for-23 from the field, and making 23-of-24 free throws, in his team's 95–85 win over TCU. His scoring broke the Mountain West Conference tournament and tournament single-game records. His free throw shooting broke the MWC tournament record for free throws in a single game.
On March 18, 2010, Fredette helped secure BYU's first round win in the NCAA tournament. He went on to score 37 points and hit two 3-pointers in double-overtime to seal the Cougars' 99–92 win over 10th-seeded Florida, the first time they had reached the second round of the tournament in 17 years. In doing so, he tied a BYU record for most points scored in an NCAA tournament game. (Danny Ainge
, 1981) .
Fredette considered foregoing his senior year and entering the draft after his junior year, and he was expected to be picked 25th to 30th, but in the end he decided to stay at BYU and play his senior year.
and Logan Magnusson. He was the top-ranked point guard in the nation according to Rivals.com
and led the nation in points per game despite frequently being double- or triple-teamed, which allowed him to open up shots for his teammates.
Fredette scored a season-high 47 points in BYU's road victory over archrival Utah
on January 11, 2011, scoring 32 in the first half including a 40-foot buzzer beater to end the first half. He finished with 16–28 on shooting along with 4 rebounds and 6 assists. He also scored 39 against UNLV
on January 5, 2011 and 33 in a rematch against the same University of Arizona
team he scored 49 against his junior season.
On December 8, 2010, he returned to his hometown of Glens Falls, in what was dubbed "The Hometown Classic," to play Vermont
in the Glens Falls Civic Center
, scoring 26 and attracting a crowd of 6,300, nearly half of Glens Falls' population of 14,354.
On January 26, 2011, in the Mountain West Conference's first battle of top-10 teams, which attracted a crowd of over 22,700 at BYU
's Marriott Center
, Jimmer scored 43 points against previously undefeated San Diego State
, ending the game in a 71–58 victory. This was his third game this season to score over 40 points. When BYU played on the road in San Diego, BYU dealt SDSU its only other loss that season, with an 80–67 victory in which Fredette had 25 points, 9 assists and 3 rebounds.
He became the Mountain West Conference's all-time leading scorer on Feb. 5, 2011 with a 29-point performance versus UNLV in the Marriott Center.
On March 7, 2011, Fredette was named both the Mountain West Conference's player of the year and the CBSSports.com National Player of the Year. He was among the final ten candidates for the Bob Cousy Award.
On March 11, 2011, in the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference Championship Tournament, Fredette broke BYU's career scoring record, passing Danny Ainge
, and set the school's single game scoring record with a career-high 52 point game against New Mexico
, to whom BYU had lost twice in the regular season. He also set BYU's record for most points in one half by scoring 33 points in the first half of the game.
On March 17, 2011, Fredette led 3rd-seeded BYU's scoring in the first round of the NCAA tournament with 32 points, leading the Cougars to a 74–66 victory over 14th-seeded Wofford, and the second consecutive year BYU would advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
On March 19, 2011, Fredette again led BYU's scoring with 34 points as they defeated 11th-seeded Gonzaga 89–67, and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament (Sweet Sixteen
) for the first time since 1981, falling to the Florida Gators (in overtime) in a rematch of the game from last year.
He was picked to the First Team All-America by Fox Sports.
For his senior year performance, Fredette was nigh unanimously named the 2011 national player of the year, being so named by the Associated Press
, Basketball Times
, CBSSports.com
, the National Association of Basketball Coaches
, SI.com, Athlon Sports, and Sporting News
. He was also awarded the 2011 Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award
.
After BYU's nationally televised game against San Diego State
in which Fredette scored 43 points, the media attention around Jimmer became significant. Fredette gained "pop culture lore," and his name became a verb—opponents on whom he scored large amounts of points were considered "Jimmered." His image appeared in on one of the regional covers for Sports Illustrated
for the 2011 NCAA tournament preview issue.
YouTube
became replete with highlight reels and tribute songs about Fredette (e.g., "Teach Me How to Jimmer"); in February 2011 BYU student Michelle Peralta, who chastised people for "worshiping" Jimmer via the campus newspaper and Facebook
, was inundated by comments from hundreds of Fredette supporters, the popular media declaring that "Michelle Peralta got Jimmered."
While revealing his NCAA Tournament Brackets, President Barack Obama
said of Fredette: "Unbelievable. Best scorer obviously in the country. Great talent."
with the 10th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft
. He was subsequently traded to the Sacramento Kings
in a deal with Milwaukee and the Charlotte Bobcats
involving John Salmons
, Beno Udrih
, Shaun Livingston
, Corey Maggette
, Stephen Jackson
and the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft
.
writer Kelli Anderson said about Fredette's playing style,
He has even been noted by several collegiate and NBA players across the country. Kevin Durant
of the Oklahoma City Thunder
posted on his Twitter
account that "Jimmer Fredette is the greatest scorer in the world!", while Steve Nash
of the Phoenix Suns
tweeted "Jimmer Fredette? That name's straight out of Hoosiers. No wonder he never misses." Jared Sullinger
, a forward at Ohio State University
, said "Jimmer is going off right now. Pure scorer."
Other facets of his personality have been noted by other college coaches. Former Utah coach Jim Boylen
has cited "swagger and confidence" as Fredette's biggest weapons, and Villanova's
Jay Wright
has also remarked favorably on Fredette's on-court aggressiveness, comparing him to Pete Maravich
in that respect. However, according to Anderson, Fredette "is fiercely competitive while remaining unassuming and likable," noting that Arizona
coach Sean Miller
hugged Fredette after he scored 49 on the Wildcats, and the Utah fans who saw Fredette score 47 on the Utes in January 2011 gave him an ovation as he left the court.
Jimmer describes his older brother TJ as his biggest fan and supporter. TJ, whose song "Amazing" was written for his brother, said, "I see him play, and it gives me chills sometimes when he hits some of those big shots and the crowd is going crazy."
In an article published in Sports Illustrated, Marcus Morris
, a forward at Kansas, noted the work ethic and moral character Fredette exhibited while at USA Basketball camp. He said, "He’s got heart. You can see he has a feel for the game, and he can shoot it from anywhere. Even if you try to box-and-one the guy, he brings it up and just pulls up from the hashmark. That’s tough to guard."
An unusual set of Fredette fans reside in the Mount McGregor Correctional Facility, a medium security prison, where he and his older brother played games with the inmates. Fredette credits these experiences as helping with his focus in rough situations.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player with the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. He gained national fame during his collegiate career at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, where he was the leading scorer in all of NCAA Division I basketball during his senior season and earned every major National Player of the Year honor, including the Wooden Award
John R. Wooden Award
The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award and recognizes the All–America Teams.The awards, given by the Los...
, the Naismith Award
Naismith College Player of the Year
The Naismith College Player of the Year is an annual basketball award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club to the top men's and women's collegiate basketball players. It is named in honor of the inventor of basketball , Dr. James Naismith....
, the Adolph Rupp Trophy
Adolph Rupp Trophy
The Adolph F. Rupp Trophy is an award given annually to the top player in men's Division I NCAA basketball. It is considered one of the top awards in college basketball. The recipient of the award is selected by an independent panel consisting of national sportswriters, coaches, and sports...
, and the Oscar Robertson Trophy
Oscar Robertson Trophy
The Oscar Robertson Trophy is given out annually to outstanding men's college basketball players by the United States Basketball Writers Association . The trophy is considered to be the oldest of its kind and has been given out since 1959...
. Fredette is a native of Glens Falls, New York
Glens Falls, New York
Glens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census...
.
Early life
Fredette was born in Glens Falls, New YorkGlens Falls, New York
Glens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census...
to parents Al and Kay Fredette, as the youngest of three children. Named James Taft Fredette, he later received the nickname "Jimmer" from his mother.
From his early childhood, he showed unusual dedication to athletics, his older brother TJ recalling, "He was the most determined, competitive four-year-old I had ever seen." TJ helped Jimmer train for his basketball career since before kindergarten. He regularly played with TJ, seven years older, and TJ's friends on the family's backyard court. Fredette was able to hit three-pointers
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
at age 5, and developed moves to get around his larger opponents. TJ also remembered that his brother "willed himself to find ways to win, even if he was physically outmatched. From the time he was 10, I was telling everybody he was going to make the NBA."
Other family members assisted Fredette in his development. His father, a financial adviser, introduced Jimmer to schoolyard competition against adults at age 8. As Jimmer developed, his father took him on occasional road trips to Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for more intense competition, and also helped to coach his AAU teams. His mother allowed him to bounce basketballs throughout the house, and even built a dribbling studio for him in their basement. Her brother Lee Taft, a personal trainer who now operates a speed training school in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, started him on running drills as a 5-year-old, and still works with Fredette.
Jimmer also has an older sister, Lindsay, Miss Teen New York 1998
Miss Teen USA 1998
Miss Teen USA 1998, the 16th Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from Shreveport, Louisiana on 17 August 1998. At the conclusion of the final competition, Vanessa Minnillo of South Carolina was crowned by outgoing queen Shelly Moore of Tennessee....
. Fredette's father became a Mormon at the age of 18 after meeting missionary
Missionary (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
Kimball Rogers—the father of Fredette's BYU teammate Stephen Rogers— While his mother is a Catholic. Fredette, along with his two older siblings, chose to become a Mormon after their parents allowed them to choose their religion.
High school career
Fredette was ranked among the nation's top 75 shooting guards by ESPN.com in high school. He is Section II's and Glens Falls High School's all-time leading scorer, ranking 6th on New York's all-time scoring list, with 2,404 points. Fredette was named first-team all-state by the New York State Sportswriters Association and the Times Union as a junior and senior. He had several memorable on court moments in his career at Glens Falls, including 12 different 40 point performances in his senior season, and a shot against Voorheesville High School in the season opener of his junior year in which he banked a three pointer off the glass and in with his opposite hand to force overtime at the end of regulation. In his senior season Fredette led his team to a 25–2 record and the Class A State Championship game which they lost to a Peekskill High SchoolPeekskill High School
Peekskill High School is located at 1072 Elm St. in Peekskill, New York, and educates most of the district's ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders. The high school's current principal is Sherrill Murray-Lazurus. Students at the high school prepare for the New York State Regents Exams in...
team led by current Syracuse University
Syracuse Orange men's basketball
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
forward Mookie Jones
Mookie Jones
Mookie Jones is a 6'6", 190 lbs. forward who plays for the Syracuse Orange.-High school:In his senior season at Peekskill High School, Jones averaged 17.1 points per game and was named to the 2008 First-Team Journal News Westchester/Putnam All-Star team. The New York State Sportswriters...
. He played AAU for the Albany City Rocks alongside current Penn State University
Penn State Nittany Lions men's basketball
The Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team representing the Pennsylvania State University. They are a member of the Big Ten Conference and play home games at the 15,261-seat Bryce Jordan Center, moving there from boisterous Rec Hall during the 1995–96...
point guard Talor Battle
Talor Battle
Talor Battle is an American basketball player for Cholet Basket in France. In college he played for Penn State Nittany Lions men's basketball team...
. Fredette averaged 25 points per game to help the Rocks to a third-place win over the Minnesota Magic at the 2006 AAU National Championships. He also lit up the Sportsfest Tournament at Cedar Beach in Allentown, PA during a prestigious outdoor summer tournament. His performance included four three-pointers in the first half of the championship game fighting against 10–15 mph gusts of wind.
Despite his high school accolades, he went largely unnoticed by the traditional "basketball powers". He received offers from 12 schools and ultimately chose to attend BYU, which was sister Lindsay's alma mater and the flagship school of the LDS Church.
College career
Fredette played basketball collegiately at Brigham Young University from 2007–2011. He wore jersey number 32 and was an American StudiesAmerican studies
American studies or American civilization is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the study of the United States. It traditionally incorporates the study of history, literature, and critical theory, but also includes fields as diverse as law, art, the media, film, religious studies, urban...
major in college.
Freshman year
Fredette played in all 35 games for the Cougars as a true freshman, helping BYU earn a 27–8 record and capture the Mountain West Conference Championship. He averaged 18.5 minutes, 7.0 points, 1.7 assists, 1.1 rebounds per game, and was the team's fifth-leading scorer.| Year | Games Played | Minutes/Game | Points/Game | Rebounds/Game | Assists/Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–2008 | 35 | 18.5 | 7.0 | 1.1 | 1.7 |
Sophomore year
Fredette played in all 33 games of his sophomore season starting 32 of them. He was second on the team in scoring (16.2), three-point shooting percentage (.382), three-point makes (52), and free throw percentage (.847), and first in steals (1.5) and assists (4.1). He scored in double figures 29 times and had 20-plus points 8 times. Fredette led the team in scoring 10 times, assists 19 times, and was named first team all Mountain West. Fredette became BYU's first point guard to earn first-team all-conference honors since Marty Haws in 1990.| Year | Games Played | Minutes/Game | Points/Game | Rebounds/Game | Assists/Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–2009 | 33 | 33.0 | 16.2 | 3.0 | 4.1 |
Junior year
On December 28, 2009, Jimmer Fredette scored 49 points against the Arizona Wildcats, setting a new BYU record and a new McKale Center record for points scored in a single game.On March 11, 2010, Fredette scored 45 points, shooting 10-for-23 from the field, and making 23-of-24 free throws, in his team's 95–85 win over TCU. His scoring broke the Mountain West Conference tournament and tournament single-game records. His free throw shooting broke the MWC tournament record for free throws in a single game.
On March 18, 2010, Fredette helped secure BYU's first round win in the NCAA tournament. He went on to score 37 points and hit two 3-pointers in double-overtime to seal the Cougars' 99–92 win over 10th-seeded Florida, the first time they had reached the second round of the tournament in 17 years. In doing so, he tied a BYU record for most points scored in an NCAA tournament game. (Danny Ainge
Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics....
, 1981) .
Fredette considered foregoing his senior year and entering the draft after his junior year, and he was expected to be picked 25th to 30th, but in the end he decided to stay at BYU and play his senior year.
| Year | Games Played | Minutes/Game | Points/Game | Rebounds/Game | Assists/Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–2010 | 34 | 31.1 | 22.1 | 3.1 | 4.7 |
Senior year
Fredette was named co-captain of his team alongside Jackson EmeryJackson Emery
Jackson Emery is an American basketball player that played for the BYU Cougars men's basketball team.Emery was born in Salt Lake City and grew up in Alpine, Utah. He earned several accolades for his basketball performance in high school, leading his team to a state championship and being named...
and Logan Magnusson. He was the top-ranked point guard in the nation according to Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
and led the nation in points per game despite frequently being double- or triple-teamed, which allowed him to open up shots for his teammates.
Fredette scored a season-high 47 points in BYU's road victory over archrival Utah
Utah Utes men's basketball
The University of Utah Utes have consistently been one of the most successful basketball programs in the NCAA. They are currently an NCAA Division I program that plays in the Pacific-12 Conference. The school has made the NCAA Tournament 26 times, which ranks 16th in NCAA history and 3rd behind...
on January 11, 2011, scoring 32 in the first half including a 40-foot buzzer beater to end the first half. He finished with 16–28 on shooting along with 4 rebounds and 6 assists. He also scored 39 against UNLV
2010–11 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team
The 2010–11 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team represented the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The team was coached by Lon Kruger, returning for his seventh year with the Runnin' Rebels. They played their home games at the Thomas & Mack Center on UNLV's main campus in Las Vegas, Nevada and are a...
on January 5, 2011 and 33 in a rematch against the same University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
team he scored 49 against his junior season.
On December 8, 2010, he returned to his hometown of Glens Falls, in what was dubbed "The Hometown Classic," to play Vermont
2010–11 Vermont Catamounts men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Vermont Catamounts men's basketball team represents the University of Vermont in the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Catamounts won their third consecutive America East Conference regular season Championship but lost in the semifinals of the conference tournament to...
in the Glens Falls Civic Center
Glens Falls Civic Center
Glens Falls Civic Center is a 4,806-seat multi-purpose arena, located in downtown Glens Falls, New York, that currently serves as the home of the Adirondack Phantoms, of the AHL. Built in 1979, it was originally the home of the Adirondack Red Wings, AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings.On June...
, scoring 26 and attracting a crowd of 6,300, nearly half of Glens Falls' population of 14,354.
On January 26, 2011, in the Mountain West Conference's first battle of top-10 teams, which attracted a crowd of over 22,700 at BYU
BYU
-Education:* Brigham Young University, a university located in Provo, Utah, USA administered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.**BYU Salt Lake Center, a satellite center in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA...
's Marriott Center
Marriott Center
Marriott Center is a 22,700-seat multi-purpose arena at 1497 N 450 E on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and is home to the BYU Cougars men's and women's basketball teams. It is also used for weekly devotionals and forums...
, Jimmer scored 43 points against previously undefeated San Diego State
2010–11 San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball team
The 2010–11 San Diego State men's basketball team represented San Diego State University in the 2010–11 college basketball season. It was their 12th season in the Mountain West Conference. This was head coach Steve Fisher's twelfth season at San Diego State...
, ending the game in a 71–58 victory. This was his third game this season to score over 40 points. When BYU played on the road in San Diego, BYU dealt SDSU its only other loss that season, with an 80–67 victory in which Fredette had 25 points, 9 assists and 3 rebounds.
He became the Mountain West Conference's all-time leading scorer on Feb. 5, 2011 with a 29-point performance versus UNLV in the Marriott Center.
On March 7, 2011, Fredette was named both the Mountain West Conference's player of the year and the CBSSports.com National Player of the Year. He was among the final ten candidates for the Bob Cousy Award.
On March 11, 2011, in the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference Championship Tournament, Fredette broke BYU's career scoring record, passing Danny Ainge
Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics....
, and set the school's single game scoring record with a career-high 52 point game against New Mexico
2010–11 New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Division I University of New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team represented the University of New Mexico as a member of the Mountain West Conference...
, to whom BYU had lost twice in the regular season. He also set BYU's record for most points in one half by scoring 33 points in the first half of the game.
On March 17, 2011, Fredette led 3rd-seeded BYU's scoring in the first round of the NCAA tournament with 32 points, leading the Cougars to a 74–66 victory over 14th-seeded Wofford, and the second consecutive year BYU would advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
On March 19, 2011, Fredette again led BYU's scoring with 34 points as they defeated 11th-seeded Gonzaga 89–67, and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament (Sweet Sixteen
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
) for the first time since 1981, falling to the Florida Gators (in overtime) in a rematch of the game from last year.
He was picked to the First Team All-America by Fox Sports.
| Year | Games Played | Minutes/Game | Points/Game | Rebounds/Game | Assists/Game | Turnovers/Game | Assist/Turnover | Blocks/Game | Steals/Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | 37 | 35.8 | 28.9 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 0 | 1.3 |
For his senior year performance, Fredette was nigh unanimously named the 2011 national player of the year, being so named by the Associated Press
Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year
The Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year award was established in 1961 to recognize the best college basketball player of the year, as voted upon by the Associated Press .-AP Player of the Year winners:*2011 — Jimmer Fredette, BYU...
, Basketball Times
Basketball Times
Basketball Times is an American basketball magazine that has been in circulation since 1978, and is published by The Hoop Group LLC. Basketball Times publishes monthly and mainly focuses on college basketball and basketball recruiting.- History :...
, CBSSports.com
CBSSports.com
CBSSports.com was founded in 1994 as SportsLine USA, and today is a CBS-owned website that provides sports scores, news, statistics, live and on-demand video, mobile apps, e-commerce, fantasy sports products, services, and information..Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, CBSSports.com it is...
, the National Association of Basketball Coaches
NABC Player of the Year
The NABC Player of the Year is an award given annually by the National Association of Basketball Coaches to recognize the top player in men's college basketball. The award has been given since the 1974–75 season to National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I basketball players...
, SI.com, Athlon Sports, and Sporting News
Sporting News Men's College Basketball Player of the Year
The Sporting News Men's College Basketball Player of the Year is an annual basketball award given to the best men's basketball player in NCAA Division I competition...
. He was also awarded the 2011 Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award
Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award
The Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award has been presented annually since 2002 to the male sportsperson, irrespective of university represented or sport contested, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year of those contesting collegiate sport in the United States through the National...
.
After BYU's nationally televised game against San Diego State
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
in which Fredette scored 43 points, the media attention around Jimmer became significant. Fredette gained "pop culture lore," and his name became a verb—opponents on whom he scored large amounts of points were considered "Jimmered." His image appeared in on one of the regional covers for Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
for the 2011 NCAA tournament preview issue.
YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
became replete with highlight reels and tribute songs about Fredette (e.g., "Teach Me How to Jimmer"); in February 2011 BYU student Michelle Peralta, who chastised people for "worshiping" Jimmer via the campus newspaper and Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, was inundated by comments from hundreds of Fredette supporters, the popular media declaring that "Michelle Peralta got Jimmered."
While revealing his NCAA Tournament Brackets, President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
said of Fredette: "Unbelievable. Best scorer obviously in the country. Great talent."
Professional career
On June 23, 2011, Fredette was selected by the Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
with the 10th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft
2011 NBA Draft
The 2011 NBA Draft was held on June 23, 2011 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball...
. He was subsequently traded to the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in a deal with Milwaukee and the Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
involving John Salmons
John Salmons
John Rashall Salmons is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA...
, Beno Udrih
Beno Udrih
Beno Udrih is a Slovenian professional basketball player for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. He was traded to the Bucks on June 23, 2011 after spending four seasons in Sacramento. -Early career:...
, Shaun Livingston
Shaun Livingston
Shaun Patrick Livingston is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks.-Early years:Livingston was born in Peoria, Illinois. He led Concordia Lutheran Grade School, coached by Mr. Tom Ruppert, to LSA state titles in 1999 and 2000...
, Corey Maggette
Corey Maggette
Corey Antoine Maggette is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association, for the Charlotte Bobcats. He excelled at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Illinois, where he was an All-American in basketball and also an Illinois high school state track finalist in long...
, Stephen Jackson
Stephen Jackson
Stephen Jesse Jackson is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. Jackson is a 6'8" guard-forward.-Early life, high school, and college:Jackson was born in Houston and grew up in Port Arthur, Texas...
and the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft
2011 NBA Draft
The 2011 NBA Draft was held on June 23, 2011 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball...
.
Playing style and personality
In a January 2011 article, Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
writer Kelli Anderson said about Fredette's playing style,
He has even been noted by several collegiate and NBA players across the country. Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
of the Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
posted on his Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account that "Jimmer Fredette is the greatest scorer in the world!", while Steve Nash
Steve Nash
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara...
of the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
tweeted "Jimmer Fredette? That name's straight out of Hoosiers. No wonder he never misses." Jared Sullinger
Jared Sullinger
Jared Sullinger is an American college basketball player. He is a sophomore at Ohio State and was one of the top rated basketball players in the class of 2010.-High school career:...
, a forward at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, said "Jimmer is going off right now. Pure scorer."
Other facets of his personality have been noted by other college coaches. Former Utah coach Jim Boylen
Jim Boylen
-References:...
has cited "swagger and confidence" as Fredette's biggest weapons, and Villanova's
Villanova Wildcats men's basketball
This is the article about the men's basketball team from Villanova University. The team has competed since the 1920–21 season. Nicknamed the "Wildcats", Villanova is a member of the Big East Conference and the Philadelphia Big Five. The Villanova Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA...
Jay Wright
Jay Wright (coach)
Jerold Taylor "Jay" Wright, Jr. is an American basketball coach. He is currently the men's coach at Villanova University. He was born in Churchville, Pennsylvania, U.S., and is married to a former Villanova cheerleader...
has also remarked favorably on Fredette's on-court aggressiveness, comparing him to Pete Maravich
Pete Maravich
Peter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980...
in that respect. However, according to Anderson, Fredette "is fiercely competitive while remaining unassuming and likable," noting that Arizona
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...
coach Sean Miller
Sean Miller
Sean Miller is an American college basketball coach, and currently the head men's basketball coach at the University of Arizona.-Early years:...
hugged Fredette after he scored 49 on the Wildcats, and the Utah fans who saw Fredette score 47 on the Utes in January 2011 gave him an ovation as he left the court.
Jimmer describes his older brother TJ as his biggest fan and supporter. TJ, whose song "Amazing" was written for his brother, said, "I see him play, and it gives me chills sometimes when he hits some of those big shots and the crowd is going crazy."
In an article published in Sports Illustrated, Marcus Morris
Marcus Morris
The Reverend John Marcus Harston Morris OBE was an English Anglican priest who founded the Eagle comic in 1950 and was deputy chairman of the National Magazine Company....
, a forward at Kansas, noted the work ethic and moral character Fredette exhibited while at USA Basketball camp. He said, "He’s got heart. You can see he has a feel for the game, and he can shoot it from anywhere. Even if you try to box-and-one the guy, he brings it up and just pulls up from the hashmark. That’s tough to guard."
An unusual set of Fredette fans reside in the Mount McGregor Correctional Facility, a medium security prison, where he and his older brother played games with the inmates. Fredette credits these experiences as helping with his focus in rough situations.
Personal life
On August 26, 2011, Fredette announced his engagement to BYU cheerleader Whitney Wonnacott on TwitterTwitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
.
See also
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season scoring leaders
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career scoring leaders
- 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans2010 NCAA Men's Basketball All-AmericansAn All-American team is an honorary sports team composed of the best amateur players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply "All-Americans". Although the honorees generally do not...