Jimmer Fredette is back in the NBA, but this time is different
By Adam Gibby
Jimmer’s Journey back to the NBA
Before playing in China, Fredette was drafted out of BYU where he was named the 2011 Naismith and AP player of the year. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks but was immediately traded to the Sacramento Kings, a program that was having major issues themselves.
Before the season was even one month old, Paul Westphal the Head Coach, was fired and the Kings were debating whether they would be remaining in Sacramento or be moving to another city the following year. Oh, and all of this was going on during the NBA lockout. The team finished with a 22-44 record and it is pretty safe to say those are not the ideal conditions to start a career in, regardless of how good a player is in college.
Over the next five seasons, Fredette would find himself in and out of the NBA, the G League and having no team at all. He played for the Kings for two and half seasons earning seven starts, but averaging only 15 minutes per game. He was then traded to the Chicago Bulls where he played in eight games. In 2014, Fredette was traded to the Pelicans where he saw action in 50 games, but only averaged 10 minutes per game. Finally in 2015, Fredette played for the Pelicans for four games and the New York Knicks for two games. He also saw time the following summer on the San Antonio Spurs but was cut before the start of the season.
Jimmer then played in China for three seasons and was the 2017 MVP and scoring leader, and in all three seasons was a top five league scorer. During his time there, he earned the nickname the “Lonely Dragon” after an amazing first season. Aside from playing in China, Fredette also played in ‘The Basketball Tournament’ here in the U.S. where he led his team to the semifinals.