Former BYU guard Jimmer Fredette seeking NBA return
By Dave Holcomb
Remember Jimmer Fredette? He hasn’t played in the NBA at all this season, but that could change very soon.
The former star guard at BYU became a stud in the Chinese Basketball Association this season. He won league MVP and led his team, Shanghai, into the playoffs. When the CBA season wraps up, he hopes to do the same for an American club.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Fredette is eyeing a return to the United States and the NBA this month.
Fredette last played in the NBA with the New York Knicks last season, but he only played two games, scoring seven points and recording no other stats other than one made 3-pointer. Fredette also played four games with the New Orleans Pelicans last season, but he scored just two points in those four contests.
With his Chinese team this season, Fredette averaged 37.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
His NBA playing days began with the Sacramento Kings, who traded for him initially after the Milwaukee Bucks drafted him with the No. 10 overall pick in 2011. He played 171 games over three seasons for the Kings, scoring 7.0 points and notching 1.5 assists and 1.1 rebounds per contests. The Kings waived him in 2013-14, so he finished the season with the Chicago Bulls. The following season, he joined the Pelicans, where he stayed until midway through last year.
Fredette never worked out in the NBA, but he was an absolute star at BYU, winning the AP Player of the Year award as a senior in 2011. He averaged 28.9 points, 4.3 assists and 3.4 rebounds, leading the Cougars to a 32-5 record and the Sweet 16 that season.
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It’s extremely unlikely he will ever meet the expectations that come with being a top 10 selection, but given his college past and the domination he displayed in China this season, he is worth a flier.