Jimmer Comparisons

“Chuck Norris wears Jimmer Fredette Pajamas.”

Jimmer Fredette has officially taken over Provo, Utah. And the Jimmer-infused high extends well beyond my little city. Urban dictionary defines the word Jimmer as “One who is in range as soon as he steps off the bus.”

The hype surrounding Jimmer has lead sports talking heads to debate whether Jimmer’s skills can translate to the pro-level. This leads to the inevitable and enjoyable process of drawing comparisons between Jimmer and high profile professional athletes. The usual comparisons are J.J. Reddick, Adam Morrison, Deron Williams, and Stephen Curry, in my opinion all of which are poor comparisons.

J.J. Reddick and Jimmer do have some notable similarities. Both athletes are three point specialists and exceptional free throw shooters, both are white, Reddick played for Duke and according to the Wallstreet Journal Jimmer plays for “the Duke of the West.” But that is where the similarities end. Most obviously, Reddick is a shooting guard. He typically doesn’t create his own shots but catches and shoots. More importantly, Reddick (6’4) is quite a bit taller than Jimmer (6’1). The average shooting guard in the NBA is 6’5. Jimmer’s lack of size will pretty much preclude him from playing any position but point guard at the next level.

The Adam Morrison comparison strikes me as the worse of the comparisons, and frankly a little racist. There are some similarities, both men are white, lead the nation in scoring, and came from smaller schools. But comparing a 6’8 forward with a 6’1 point guard is silly on every level.

Michael Wilbon is the one who has most famously compared Jimmer’s game to Deron Wiliams’s. He reasoned that both players are shorter but carry around a stocky frame, both men are point guards, and both men create their own shots. But there is a reason why Deron Williams was selected 3^rd overall and Jimmer is a border line first round project. Williams is a much better finisher, he is stronger, and most importantly is a superior passer. Jimmer’s career average is only 3.6 assists a game.

The Stephen Curry comparison is the most common. This is mostly due to the hype surrounding both players. Unlike Reddick who was the most hated player in the NCAA, both Jimmer and Curry are /were the most beleoved players in the game. The comparison is bolstered by the fact that both men are undersized (although Jimmer is still shorter) and both are fantastic shooters. However, Curry was a fantastic defender, essentially he is a Jimmer / Jackson Emery hybrid. Jimmer on the other hand, rarely plays any meaningful defense.

So what is a good comparison? One answer would be that it is silly to try and compare one great player to another and that we should just sit back and enjoy the show. The better answer is Derek Fisher. Both men are undersized 6’1, both men are stocky (I think Jimmer could put on the extra 10 pounds if he were to work out), both men play mediocre defense, both look to shot rather than to pass, both are great 3 point shooters, both are excellent free throw shooters, both men possess a certain craftiness when they drive to the lane. Most importantly, both seem to have ice water in their veins and are people who you would want taking the last shot of a game.

This begs the question, could Jimmer become a Laker. Fisher is old, really old and will retire soon. The Lakers will be picking near (hopefully last) the end of the first round and at the beginning of the second round. Exactly the place where Jimmer is predicted to be chosen. The Triangle offense suits Jimmer’s abilities. He wouldn’t be asked of to make very many difficult passes, merely swing the ball around. He doesn’t need to protect the drive because of the height of the forwards. All he would really need to do is nail a deadly three pointer once in a while – something that Jimmer can do, and do well.