New York Knicks: 6 Reasons Why They Should Avoid Jimmer Fredette
As Jimmer Fredette continues to defy human nature and dominate college basketball like few ever have, NBA fans are left to look on in amazement, dreaming about the possibility of the BYU guard playing for their respective team when he gets to the league.
There has been a lot of talk recently that Fredette's family really wants the Knicks to draft the New York native. Many Knick fans, in return, have openly expressed their desire for the team to draft The Jimmer. His scintillating style of play would be must-see every night he took the floor in Madison Square Garden.
However, proceed with caution.
There is no denying Fredette is a great college basketball player. He is such a pure scorer that he makes it look easy. But his skill set, style of play and stature don't necessarily translate well to the NBA. Furthermore, he would be a very poor fit with the Knicks.
Here are six reasons why.
Not a Good Defender
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Fredette is undersized and doesn't have enough quickness to stay with NBA-level guards. He also doesn't have a lot of length to bother opponents and disrupt shots.
Fredette doesn't have too much experience playing man-to-man defense, as the Cougars' primary defense is a 2-3 zone.
The Knicks are already a relatively weak defensive team, so the addition of Fredette would only make them worse in that department. The reason Landry Fields has been such a great fit for the Knicks is his ability to get after it defensively and his unselfish play, which are two abilities Fredette doesn't have.
Lack of Size
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Fredette is just 6'2" and 195 pounds, making him undersized at the NBA level.
He could get away with his size by playing point guard, but isn't enough of a facilitator to play the position on a consistent basis. He isn't big enough to get his own shot off as a shooting guard, either.
Those open shots he is accustomed to will be few and far between at the next level.
Not Used to Not Having the Ball in His Hands
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At BYU, Fredette has the ball in his hands whenever he wants. He dominated the ball, dribbling around until he finds a way to get a shot off. He has had to handle the ball even more since forward Brandon Davies was suspended by the team.
However, he won't get away with dribbling the ball around non-stop until he gets a shot off at the next level. If he tries to do that, that shot attempt will never come.
Fredette's role might have to be as a spot-up shooter, which is something he isn't used to. Fredette, like most great shooters, is a rhythm shooter. Not having the ball in his hands at all times very well may disrupt that rhythm.
Doesn't Always Take Care of the Ball
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Jimmer is averaging a whopping 3.5 turnovers this season, and as a 1.24 assist-to-turnover ratio. That is less than impressive for an already undersized point guard.
To be fair, Fredette also has more ball handling responsibilities then anyone in the country, so he is prone to more turnovers than most. Still, he has shown to be careless.
With Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony already on the roster, the Knicks can't afford to have someone else who turns the ball over a lot.
Lack of Athleticism and Quickness
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Part of what makes Jimmer such an effective scorer his the way he creates around the basket. In the college game, he can make up for his sub-par quickness and athleticism by being crafty in his penetration to the basket. He loves to take off-balance shots, but somehow they still go in.
The NBA is a different story. He won't be able to rely just on being crafty to score the ball. He will need to somehow find a way to shake defenders on a consistent basis, which is a long shot.
Team Needs
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The Knicks already have Landry Fields and Toney Douglas, and they are almost certain to bring back Chauncey Billups next year as well.
The team has some glaring holes down low, they they need to focus on drafting a post-player with their only pick of the draft.
As great of a player as he is, the Knicks have others needs besides The Jimmer.
