Jimmer Fredette

[tornado]

Jimmer Fredette, although a great kid and a great player at BYU and reportedly an outspoken Mormon...


has CHOSEN not to go on a Mormon Mission stating ...
"While it is strongly encouraged that nineteen year-old Mormon men serve a mission, it is not mandatory."

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/602475-byus-jimmer-fredette-the-greatest-mormon-missionary-in-the-world?source=rss_teams_Brigham_Young_Cougars

Other sources say that it is "relatively" mandatory for young Mormons who are not physically or mentally handicapped, already serving militarily, or in other ways unable...or else they face church scrutiny and pressure and even famliy disaffection...but...
Here is the very statement about this from the Mormon Church

http://mormon.org/faq/serve-missions/

[bugregshu]

It's widely acknowledged that all physically able Mormon men should go on their mission when they turn 19, but it is absolutely not required. I am not a Mormon, but I'm extremely close to many people in the church. I have 4 friends who went on their missions, and one who decided not to, and the church doesn't treat any of them differently. Fredette's story is a little different though, because by putting BYU in the national spotlight, he is providing more recognition for the Church of Latter Day Saints through basketball than he would if he went on a mission.

[FlyingSpaghettiMonster]

As the only deity on the board, I have no issues with this decision.

[Braves4Life]

I believe that I heard his thinking is that he can have a greater effect on "Mormonism" by living his "mission" in the spotlight of the NBA, rather than by traveling to some obscure place.

[Beninator]

Saw this article trying to compare Jimmer to past players. I like the Scott Skiles at Michigan State comparison. jmho

http://wap.boston.com/art/22/sports/colleges/mens_basketball/articles/2011/01/30/comparing_notes_on_a_hidden_treasure/?single=1&p=2

[Braves4Life]

Man, I hope he turns out to be a better pro than Skiles. He seems to have a little Joe Dumars in him to me.

[Lakeview Brave]

Im not sure how he will do in the NBA but I think if his career ends up like Skiles he would be pretty happy and very rich.


Skiles enjoyed a 10-year NBA playing career and appeared in 600 career games (371 starts) with Milwaukee, Indiana, Orlando, Washington and Philadelphia. He was drafted by the Bucks in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1986 NBA Draft and played 13 games in Milwaukee during his rookie season. He maintained career averages of 11.1 points, 6.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds over those 10 seasons. He set an NBA single-game record (that still stands) when he passed for 30 assists on December 30, 1990 while with Orlando, and his 88.9 career free throw percentage is the 6th-best in NBA history. He was named the NBA's Most Improved player following the 1990-91 campaign when he averaged a career-best 17.2 points and 8.4 assists with the Orlando Magic.

[Braves4Life]

Thanks for the info Lakeview. I didn't realize Skiles had numbers quite that good. Bad on me.

[Beninator]

Thanks for the info Lakeview. I didn't realize Skiles had numbers quite that good. Bad on me.

Same here Braves4life! I don't follow the NBA closely though.

[Da Coach]

Speaking of Jimmer Fredette and Scott Skiles, I saw an ESPN panel discussion about Fredette and his NBA chances a couple days ago. The consensus was that he would probably be a late 1st round pick because of his physical shortcomings, but that he would be a decent pro in the same mold as J.J. Redick. But there are experts who think he will never make it in the NBA.

But then the discussion turned to the relative lack of American-born white players in the NBA, and their general lack of success. Less than 10% of the players in the NBA are American-born white players, and many of them are deep reserves.
It is rare for an American-born white player to even average double digits, and it has been years since any were voted to the NBA All-Star team.
David Lee was added to last year's All Star team as a reserve. Prior to that, the last NBA All-Star who was a white American was Brad Miller in 2004.
The last American-born white player selected to start the NBA All-Star game was John Stockton in 1997!
In 1985, 2 of the top 5 scorers in the NBA were white (Larry Bird and Kiki Vanderweghe). In the 2008-2009 season (the last full season prior to this ESPN report) only 2 white Americans, David Lee and Troy Murphy, finished in the top 100 scorers!
The perceived lack of athleticism of white players is even more evident on the NBA All-Defensive teams.
Over the 12 seasons from 1997-98 through 2008-09, 123 different players were named to one or more NBA All-Defensive teams (1st or 2nd team). Only 1 of them was a white American. Kirk Hinrich made the 2nd team All-Defense in 2006-07.

Here is an article from 2006 listing the top white players in the previous 20 years. The list is pathetic. Outside of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, John Stockton, and Steve Nash (not even an American) none of them was good enough to be a regular all-star.

http://jonesonthenba.com/2006/05/top-20-white-american-players-of-last.html

and by the time you get down to the honorable mention list, it really degenerates into obscurity.


A lot of other articles have been written about the decline of white players from the NBA

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/93080-the-decline-of-the-white-american-nba-player

http://www.jlcauvin.com/wordpress/?p=855

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2009/02/where-have-all-of-the-white-nba-players-gone/

And ESPN did a segment a little over a year ago on this subject that is worth watching-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYraid2vqI8

it focuses on former Notre Dame guard Kyle McAlarney, who believes being white has kept him out of the NBA.

[Lakeview Brave]

Chris Mullin was a legit allstar but you are right most of that list is really pathetic.

I know Bird is a once in a generation type player but I wonder why we dont see more players like Keven Mchale. He was a realitively unathletic big man who just perfected post moves. Black, White or Asian almost none of todays big men come close to having the moves and nuance of Mchale. What happend to the sky hook, the up and under, the drop step, the baby hook or just the plain old head fake.

[Braves4Life]

.... I wonder why we dont see more players like Keven Mchale. He was a realitively unathletic big man who just perfected post moves. Black, White or Asian almost none of todays big men come close to having the moves and nuance of Mchale. What happend to the sky hook, the up and under, the drop step, the baby hook or just the plain old head fake.

I really think that the NBA has legislated "street ball" by essentially playing with little or no rules. Big guys like McHale, Bird, Parrish, and even Jabbar would get beaten senseless today because the game has essentially turned into an athletic and fast-paced street fight.

I think that's why you see good players (black and white) who are college stars but whose game doesn't translate into the physical, no-holds-barred style of the NBA. I absolutely LOVE watching the fundamentally sound college game and cannot stand to watch the garbage ball that they call professional basketball. Put the rules back in the pro game and you'll see guys like Fredette excel once again.

[ChewaBrave]

Some day the white man will have his day in the sun. They can't keep them under boot for too long. Just kidding - all in fun.

Anyhow, the statistics are pretty funny.

[Future Walk-On]

I really hope he doesn't turn into a Adam Morrison though.

[DeWigs]

Fredette

Fredette is listed at 6'2, so I would think his success in the NBA would depend largely upon his ballhandling and passing skills. If he relies on being mostly a spot-up shooter, it would probably be as a role player.