BYU vs. San Diego State: How The Game Will Affect Jimmer Fredette's Draft Stock

BYU and San Diego State enter tomorrow's showdown ranked No. 9 and No. 4, respectively, in the nation. Aside from the game playing a large factor in the Mountain West Conference, the game has great significance to one of the nation's brightest stars: Jimmer Fredette.

Jimmer Fredette leads the nation in scoring, and has proven that he can score against high-quality opponents. Last year he went off for 49 points against Arizona in Tuscon, and has scored 42 or more points in two of his last three contests. His game and rise-to-relevance are reminiscent of a young Stephen Curry at Davidson, and like Curry, NBA scouts are starting to take interest in the sharp-shooter from Glen Falls, New York.

During Wednesday's contest, Fredette will encounter another intriguing NBA prospect, Kawhi Leonard. The athletic forward may guard Fredette at times and will provide scouts with an idea of how he will perform playing opposite a potential lottery pick. If Jimmer proves that he can still get the job done against a great player (along with a great team), his draft stock will rise immensely.

Currently projected by NBADraft.net to be drafted late in the second round by the Boston Celtics, Jimmer could find himself move up into the mid-first round with a strong outing. Mid-major players have few opportunities to prove themselves before the Big Dance, and this game represents an opportunity for Jimmer to raise his stock significantly.

BYU has benefited from having such a great player like Jimmer lead their basketball team, and they will be a popular pick come March to advance far in the National Tournament. What seems to hold true, however, is that NBA scouts don't take winning into consideration as much as other factors when considering NBA prospects (Derrick Williams of Arizona, Tyler Honeycutt of UCLA and CJ Leslie of North Carolina State, just to name a few).

The 26.7 points per game, 47.6 shooting percentage from the field and 41.0 shooting percentage from downtown don't seem to be enough to impress the NBA scouts. If a player were to have those same numbers in the Big East or ACC, scouts would be drooling all over themselves. Playing the fourth-ranked San Diego State Aztecs represents a chance to simulate what it would be like playing a big-conference team, as the Aztecs have beaten teams like Gonzaga and California.

Should Jimmer Fredette and the BYU Cougars defeat the Aztecs, their ranking will rise, as will his own in NBA mock drafts.