Teach me how to Jimmer

Jimmer Fredette potrebbe non essere selezionato tra i primi dieci giocatori del prossimo Draft Nba ma è senza dubbio il giocatore più chiacchierato tra coloro che si sono dichiarati eleggibili. La sua facilità nel segnare valanghe di punti, il suo raggio di tiro pressoché illimitato fanno di lui un attaccante mortifero. Ma riuscirà a confermarsi tra i pro? Molti esperti, molti giornalisti e molti giocatori si sono espressi sul suo conto, chi in maniera favorevole chi meno. Eccone una rassegna.

The Bad:

Colin Cowherd: "We're looking for stories. If his name was Jim Fredette, James Fredette, but it's Jimmer.... It's the 50s bab, and we just fell for it. That guy, trust me, is coming to an Nba bench near you."

Rick Reilly: "Until he shows more interest in defense than a blind man has in rainbows, he's going to spend most of his Nba life sitting on padded folding chairs."
"...you think this barely 6-2 kid with no speed and YMCA hops can be the next Maravich or Ainge or Westbrook? Fredette about it."


Ken Berger: "The problem at the next level for Fredette will be a daunting combination of poor lateral quickness and lack of height for his position."


Chris Broussard: "I hope I'm wrong, but I believe Jimmer is going to struggle at the next level. At 6-foot-2, he's too small to play shooting guard, and I'm not sure he has the point guard skills and instincts to be an Nba starter. At best, he'll be a contributor off the bench."


On the Fence:
Paul Pierce: "I love Jimmer Fredette; best player in college. I think he can be a solid pro. He's a really good scorer. I don't know how that translates in the Nba with so many great point guards and athletes but I think he has a high basketball I.Q. and I think he'll have success."

Aran Smith: "Lacks of athleticism to finish at the rim but he is creative at finding ways to score on drives using floaters. Not a natural point guard but he's developing his skills."


Derrick Rose: "I saw him play during the summer for the USA team. He's not surprised me with what he's been doing this year. The way he was playing with the USA team, he was playing great. He played with a lot of confidence. He's a great scorer. He's leading his team the way he's supposed to."

Pete Thamel riporta le dichiarazioni di uno degli assistant coach di BYU: "We expect so much of him on the offensive end. We can't afford to have him in foul trouble. He's a much, much better defensive player than he's given credit for. A lot of that is part of our gmae plan."


The Good:
Russel Westbrook:" I've seen Jimmer play. He's a great, great, great, great guard. I know he's going to do well at the next level. I know just from watching him that he's going to be a great Nba player."

Jonathan Givony: "Fredette is much more than just an outside shooter. He also gets to the free throw line at a nice rate (7.2 attmpts per 40 minutes) and is generally effective scoring inside the arc at the college level. His pull-up jumper translates well to the mid-range area, and he has a very strong frame and outstanding touch, which he uses to finish around the basket, often utilizing the glass in impressive fashion."


Kevin Love: " I love the Jimmer. I think he's a great player. He's the type of player, I think, who can come in and have a good impact at this level. He's a guy I admire. I think he can make a big impact. A lot of people have compared him to a young Stephen Curry and that's a pretty good comparision. Steph has had a lot of success in this league and he's determined to become a better player. I think with Jimmer, it's the same way."


Kenny Smith:" He's going to be a great Nba player. The way you score in the Nba is the way he scores in college basketball, off the pick and roll, off open shots and off the dribble. He does all of those things extremely well."

Barack Obama: " Unbelievable. Best scorer obviously in the country. Great talent."

Doc Rivers: " I love him. He's terrific. I've seen the Espn clips and going by the clips, he's a superstar. The kid's going to be a good Nba player. We get lost in what kids can't do and we should focus more on the things they can do and try to accent that. He can get his own shot."


Steve Kerr: " I've seen him on film a lot. I love him. There are some legitimate questions about wheter he's a one or a two guard. But the guy can flat-out score with deep range, catch and shoot or off the dribble. He's got a really speciale gift for scoring. A guy like that will always be able to find a place to play. I think he'll be a pro for a long time. Defensively, he'll struggle. He's going to have to go out there and guard Deron Williams, Rondo and Derrick Rose but everybody struggles to guard those guys. He's a competitor and he's got a special gift as a player. He's very smart."


A mio avviso le parole più sagge sono quelle di Doc Rivers. Non dobbiamo essere troppo condizionati dalle mancanze di un giocatore quando possiede delle qualità invidiabili. Nel caso di Fredette le sue qualità sovrastano di gran lunga i punti deboli che peraltro sono migliorabili. Sono convinto che Jimmer riuscirà a ritagliarsi un buon spazio tra i pro, considerando anche il suo spirito competitivo e la sua costante voglia di migliorarsi.