NBA Draft 2011: Jimmer Fredette and the 10 Most Polarizing Prospects
Part of the fun that comes with the NBA Draft is speculating about the players involved. No one is quite sure just how good any player is going to be coming out of college.
For all we know, Kyrie Irving might become the biggest draft bust of all-time, and yes, that includes Sam Bowie and others.
We simply don't know exactly what's going to unfold. But even still, there are still some players that invite more speculation than others.
Jimmer Fredette is one of those extremely polarizing players. Read on to see why he, and the other nine players included here, deserve that type of recognition.
Kenneth Faried
1 of 10
College basketball's all-time leading rebounder is an absolute double-double machine.
After watching Kenneth Faried play against Louisville and Richmond in March Madness, I have no doubt that his rebounding ability will carry over to the next level. But, he can't really shoot. And that's being generous.
Faried is also polarizing because he played for Morehead State and thus faced Ohio Valley Conference competition for the bulk of his career.
Last I checked, the OVC wasn't exactly the NBA.
Jimmer Fredette
2 of 10
Is any NBA Draft prospect more polarizing than BYU's unquestioned leader?
Jimmer Fredette was the best scorer in the country and was simply unstoppable game after game after game. However, he did have to hoist up quite a few shots to put up his scoring average, which was tops in the nation.
Questions abound though about whether Fredette is quick enough to succeed in the NBA. Similarly, his lack of effort on defense could come back to bite him.
No one is quite sure what to make of this Cougar. Will he become the next Adam Morrison or will his scoring prowess translate and make him the league's newest 25-point scorer?
Only time will tell.
Kawhi Leonard
3 of 10
The leading scorer and rebounder for the upstart San Diego State Aztecs during this past college basketball season, Kawhi Leonard is a very good player.
He seems to be able to do it all, but he also has the unfortunate habit of disappearing in the big moments. And when he doesn't fade away into the background at the end of games, he has a special knack for making bad decisions.
That doesn't really help him in the eyes of NBA scouts. Additionally, San Diego State isn't a member of any of the so-called "power conferences," which makes his status in the NBA Draft even more heavily debated than normal.
Chandler Parsons
4 of 10
While Chandler Parsons may have been a matchup nightmare at the college level, it remains to be seen whether or not he'll be able to capitalize on mismatches to the same extent in the NBA.
Parsons does everything well. He plays defense, he crashes the offense boards with unparalleled intensity, he dribbles skillfully and he has a solid jump shot.
But the Florida Gator doesn't do anything extraordinarily well. There isn't really one calling card that he can pull out of his back pocket at any point during the game.
Kyle Singler
5 of 10
Kyle Singler was an absolutely fantastic player at the college level because he could do a whole bunch of things on the basketball court. Additionally, his 6'8" frame gave him a huge size advantage at the small forward position.
Singler isn't a tremendous athlete though and that could hinder him at the NBA level. He's the definition of a "tweener" but he doesn't have the size, speed or strength to be a superstar at the next level.
He'll be a great role player, but I'm not sure that he can be anything more.
Plus, he went to Duke so he's automatically going to be more polarizing than normal.
Any International Player
6 of 10
When the draft starts to get closer, the international prospects undergo even more scrutiny.
American basketball fans haven't had the opportunity to watch players from other countries play ball so the international players are relatively unknown to those watching the draft unfold.
Because of that, players like Jan Vesely, Donatas Motiejunas, Jonas Valanciunas and others are not exactly the most popular selections.
While some fans may be happy that their teams are investing in the future, others are inevitably disappointed that their teams are adding new, virtually nameless players.
Nolan Smith
7 of 10
Duke's best player last season was named Nolan Smith.
In fact, I firmly believe that the country's best player was also named Nolan Smith.
When Kyrie Irving went down with a toe injury, it was Smith that stepped up and put a suddenly-reeling Duke squad on his back. He transitioned from playing off the ball to playing on the ball and the transition was seamless.
However, Smith isn't a point guard by trade and he's not quite big enough or quick enough to play shooting guard in the NBA. He's ridiculously talented though and will make it as a professional. I'm just not sure where.
Plus there's that whole going to Duke thing.
Trey Thompkins
8 of 10
Trey Thompkins is an absolute load in the low post.
His moves are virtually unstoppable and his skill set is fairly complete.
The power forward plays good defense, he passes well, he can handle the ball well enough to break the press, he can drain three-pointers and he can rebound proficiently.
So why isn't he higher up on draft boards than his current middle-of-the-first-round position?
Well, Thompkins has yet to prove that he can be a leader. He hasn't shown a killer mentality and that is necessary if he's going to succeed at the professional level.
His skills can't really be debated, but his mental composition can.
Kemba Walker
9 of 10
Kemba Walker took the college basketball world by storm when he led the Connecticut Huskies to an unprecedented 11-straight postseason wins en route to a national championship.
The point guard is an unbelievably quick player with as good a step-back as anyone in the country. However, he has to use the step-back, and other moves, a little bit too often because he stands just six feet tall and has to create his own shot a little too often.
He's a great offensive player and has proven to be quite adept on the defensive end of the floor, but he may be a bit over-hyped thanks to the incredible end-of-season run he only just finished.
Derrick Williams
10 of 10
Derrick Williams was one of the best players in all of college basketball during the 2010-2011 season, but now the sophomore from Arizona is going to go pro, or at least the signs all point towards that happening.
Williams has an unbelievable amount of skill and athleticism trapped within an NBA body. He's ready to make the jump and become a very good player.
But he's being heralded as a potential No. 1 overall pick, which means that he's automatically going to be at least a little bit controversial.
Additionally, Williams' best trait is his remarkable efficiency. That may not translate to superstardom and superstardom usually goes along with being picked first overall.
