Jimmer Fredette Reportedly Drawing Interest from NBA Teams
Former NBA guard Jimmer Fredette is "starting to engage NBA teams on March return," according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
Fredette, 28, was the MVP in China after averaging 37.5 points per game for Shanghai this season. He last appeared in the NBA in the 2015-16 season, playing in two games for the New York Knicks and four games for the New Orleans Pelicans.
He also made headlines for dropping 73 points in a double-overtime loss to the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions on Feb. 20, the fourth-highest single-game mark in CBA history behind Errick McCollum (82), Quincy Douby (75) and Bobby Brown (74), per Kevin Wang of ESPN.com.
Of course, when it comes to Fredette's accomplishments in China, context is key, as Dan Feldman of Pro Basketball Talk noted:
"Errick McCollum is averaging more points per game in the Chinese Basketball Association and taking fewer shots than Fredette. Also averaging 30 points per game in China: MarShon Brooks, Jared Cunningham, Jabari Brown, Jamaal Franklin, Lester Hudson, Darius Adams and Dominique Jones.
In other words, a bunch of borderline NBA players who most likely belong outside the top league.
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Fredette, who was drafted 10th overall in the 2011 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and immediately traded to the Sacramento Kings, averaged just 6.0 points and 1.4 assists per game in his five-year career, which also included a brief stint with the Chicago Bulls.
He also shot 38.1 percent from beyond the arc, and his ability to shoot was never in question. Fredette didn't bring many other NBA skills to the table, however, as his lack of athleticism and poor defense were major liabilities.
Teams looking for a sharpshooter off the bench may be able to carve out a role for Fredette. Still, it's unlikely that one season in China helped Fredette address the weaknesses that shoehorned him into limited roles on NBA teams before he sought an opportunity overseas in the first place.
