BYU senior Jimmer Fredette leads the nation in scoring. And if the season ended today, he would be the overwhelming choice for national player of the year, according to a poll conducted by Michael Rothstein of AnnArbor.com.
The obvious question now: What kind of pro will Fredette be? There is considerable debate. Supporters compare Fredette to four-time NBA All-Star Mark Price. Detractors liken him to NBA bust Adam Morrison.
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It’s curious how anyone could compare a 6-foot-8 forward (Morrison) to a 6-2 guard (Fredette), though the superficial reasons are obvious. Both are from mid-major programs in the west. Both topped the nation in scoring. Both are white.
The race factor seems to have fueled the debate. Some are rallying around Fredette because of it, others discounting him for the same reason.
What does NBA scout Ryan Blake think?
“He’s a guy that will not only be able to put the ball in the basket, but he makes others better,” Blake said. “When you watch him play over a number of games, he’ll get it to the hot hand.”
NBADraft.net has Fredette going 10th in the first round. DraftExpress has Fredette at No. 13. Both rate all eligible college freshmen, some who may remain in college for at least another year.
When he came out of Georgia Tech as a two-time All-America in 1986, Price was undervalued because of his height (6-foot) and perhaps because of his race. He was the first player drafted in the second round (No. 25 overall).
Blake doesn’t like to compare players, but thinks Fredette has more in common with Stephen Curry, whose athletic ability was questioned when he came out of Davidson in 2009 but now is averaging 18.4 points and 5.9 assists a game at Golden State.
“Like Curry, Fredette is crafty enough with his handle to separate himself,” Blake said.
There are intangibles that Blake sees in Fredette, aside from his scoring prowess.
“As soon as he gets that ball his eyes are on the court,” Blake said. “He sees two or three plays developing up in front, spacing himself. What great athletes do is they’ve already programmed it in their head. It’s like visualization.”
