Jimmer Fredette was known in college for his pure scoring ability. He single-handedly turned BYU into a national championship contender by having an uncanny ability to hit shots from anywhere on the floor. Defenders who covered Jimmer inside the three-point line quickly realized they had to come out past it. When defenders came out past the arc, Fredette knocked down shots from beyond NBA-range anyway. Sacramento Kings coach Keith Smart is looking for that Jimmer.
“We can work on the point guard (skills) this summer and we want Jimmer to make plays,” Smart said according to the Sacramento Bee. “But when he comes off a pick, he has to take that shot. He needs to become a little selfish.”
“He makes it tough on himself because he wants to prove people wrong,” Kings assistant Bobby Jackson added. “But I told him: ‘You’re not that fast or that athletic, but you have something a lot of guys don’t have – scoring ability. Stop trying to drive all the time.’ His outside shooting opens things up for Tyreke (Evans) and (DeMarcus) Cousins.”
Jimmer’s jerseys may be selling faster than secretly-stashed Snickers bars at a fat camp, but he has spent the past two games on the bench. Adjusting to the NBA from college is difficult enough, let alone having to do so after a lockout cancels most offseason workouts. This year has been particularly difficult for rookies and Jimmer is no exception.
If Fredette wants to enjoy the same success in the pros that he did at the college level, he needs to regain confidence in his jump shot. You can be a multidimensional player and still remain a scorer. As soon as Jimmer is comfortable with that he can begin contributing to the struggling Kings.
H/T SLAM Online
