Sebastian Pruiti of NBA Playbook is conducting scouting reports on the first 30 players selected in this year’s 2011 NBA Draft. Today, he assessed the 10th overall pick, Jimmer Fredette.
So how do I think Fredette will perform in the pros? I am a little more down on him than others, and I think his ceiling is a scorer off of the bench or maybe a starter on a bad team. What scares me about Fredette is that the things he needs to improve upon are things that don’t get better with hard work, tape sessions, or more reps. He needs to become more athletic. His lack of athleticism hurts him both defensively and finishing at the rim. Could he become an ok defender? It’s possible (J.J. Redick has done it), but I just don’t see it happening right away.
When analyzing Jimmer’s weaknesses, it’s no surprise Sebastian questions the Kings guard’s athletic ability. This has been a sentiment reflected by most pundits and commentators (I’m guilty also). But let’s go back to the pre-draft process and Jimmer’s first visit to Sacramento for another perspective. I remind you of an interesting observation made by Cowbell’s own James Ham on Jimmer’s defensive tendencies.
If I was to point to one negative, Fredette plays on his heels, not his toes which will hurt his ability to stay in front of quicker players in the NBA. If I were to make a judgement, I would say his flat-footed play makes him slower on the court than the gaudy numbers he put up at the combine.
So at this point, you can take your pick:
- Jimmer is an average athlete, which handicaps his potential to improve defensively.
- Jimmer has some foot work issues that if fixed, can make him a better defender.
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