I’m a lifelong collector of sports cards and specialize in rare, autographed cards of BYU players in their BYU uniforms. Instead of just keeping these cardboard treasures to myself, in this video series entitled "BYU Cougar Cards Tell Stories" I'm opening up my collection and sharing them with you.
In this episode I'm sharing my 2012 Upper Deck SP Authentic Jimmer Fredette autographed card and sharing the story it tells that greatness can come from anywhere:
Jimmer Fredette wasn't a heralded recruit when he signed with BYU in 2007. He came off the bench his freshman year, averaging a modest seven points per game. But by his junior year he averaged 22.1 points per game, drilling 44% of his 3-point attempts.
BYU fans knew coming into Jimmer's senior season in 2010-11 that he was going to be an electric scorer.
We had no idea that he was going to become a legend.
"Jimmermania" and the incredible 2010-11 season
As a senior Jimmer averaged 28.9 points per game en route to winning the Wooden Award as the nation's best player. In the process, "Jimmermania" flooded the nation. Fredette was a national sensation. He led ESPN's Sports Center. He graced the cover of Sports Illustrated. He received rock star treatment everywhere he went and behind his heroics, BYU just kept winning.
The Cougars went 32-5 that season, were ranked as high as No. 3 nationally, and won the Mountain West Conference title.
Fredette ultimately led BYU to a No. 3 seed in the 2011 NCAA Tournament but the Cougars just weren't the same team after the suspension of center Brandon Davies late in the year. They advanced to the Sweet 16 before falling to No. 2 seed Florida.
Greatness after finishing at BYU
After BYU, Jimmer was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Unfortunately, he was selected by the dysfunctional Sacramento Kings, a franchise at the time defined by its complete ineptitude. Jimmer's NBA career never really took off as he arrived in the league just a few years before the Steph Curry-led 3-point boom. In all he appeared in 241 career NBA games over six seasons.
After the NBA Jimmer went on to have a very successful career playing in China, and most recently for the United States Olympic 3x3 team.
The story this autographed card from my collection tells is that greatness can come from anywhere. Jimmer Fredette arrived at BYU as an unheralded freshman.
He left BYU as a legend.