Today, we have something a little bit different for our morning cup. There is video, of course, but also some heated discussion. On Friday, July 8th, ESPN’s Rick Reilly used his reoccurring column, I wrote, you wrote to answer some of the “fan mail” he has received from Jimmer Fredette enthusiasts. The nexus of this debate stems from the article, Jimmer grows dimmer that Reilly scribed back on March 25th after watching Fredette in his final college performance. Reilly appears to have made up his mind on the future of Kings rookie Jimmer Fredette, and more than three months later, he’s back to throw a little salt in that wound.
JIMMER FREDETTE
I wrote … BYU’s super scorer Jimmer Fredette will be a bust in the NBA because he’s too small, too slow and too bored by defense. In fact, I promised to donate $5,000 to Jimmer’s favorite charity if he started even one game in his first year, which will be with the Sacramento Kings.
You wrote …
Jimmer to the Kings following a trade of Beno Udrih. I’ll let you off easy and you can just donate $2,500 to me instead of the whole $5k to charity.
~ Mike Barlow (San Antonio)I will. Soon as you start a game in the NBA.
So Rick, have you started setting aside some money from each paycheck to go towards the charity of Jimmer’s choice after he officially starts his first game now?
~ Greg Jones (Houston)Yes, I’ve been selling all the razor blades BYU fans have been sending me in envelopes. It adds up.
What is Jimmer’s favorite charity? I’m dying to know where your $5,000 is going.
~ Jerry Izu (Valencia, Calif.)Jimmer represents The Biceps Project. It’s a program to help incurable gunners ice their shooting arms.
More after the jump…
Since we are going backward to move forward, on March 28, 2011, former ESPN Sports Center host and current sports radio personality (among other things), Dan Patrick, took Reilly to task for his Jimmer grows dimmer piece. Reilly wasn’t the only member of the ESPN family that drew the ire of Patrick, but since he is so eager to revisit this issue, let’s look back at Patrick’s impassioned response.
When Jimmer came to Sacramento for his introductory press conference, Jon Santiago and I had the chance to chat with Al Fredette, Jimmer’s father. One of the first things he spoke about was how both he and Jimmer were excited to prove Rick Reilly wrong and collect on that $5,000 charitable donation. Make no mistake, the Fredette boys have a list somewhere of all the nay sayers.
Coach Westphal has already stated that barring injury or a major surprise, Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton will comprise the Kings starting backcourt if and when there is a season. Of course, Marcus Thornton is a restricted free agent and although the Kings intend to keep him around, there is no telling what the new NBA landscape will look like following the lockout. Coach Westphal did add that he expects Jimmer to be a major factor in their rotation and with the injury history of Evans, it wouldn’t be a shocker if we see Fredette get at least a couple of chances to start during his rookie season.
My prediction: Rick Reilly gets Jimmered. Have your checkbook ready, Rick.
So, let the debate begin. Who is Jimmer Fredette? Great college player, marginal pro? Self made man or media creation? Pistol Pete or Fred “The Mayor” Hoiberg?
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