Jimmer Fredette Put on a Show for the Utah Jazz During Workout


Fredette, a rock star already in Utah, did not disappoint in his workout for the Jazz. The Salt Lake Tribune reports: “The Jimmer Fredette circus arrived Wednesday in Salt Lake City. The show was packed; the scene was a riot. And Fredette again stole the spotlight. Building off strong performances during four previous NBA Draft workouts, the former Brigham Young guard accomplished exactly what he set out to do weeks ago when initial plans took shape for a highly hyped session with the Jazz. Fredette got his long-desired matchup against ex-Connecticut star Kemba Walker, holding his own against a player many consider to be a lock for a top-10 pick in the June 23 draft. Fredette also drilled shots he was expected to sink, while drawing praise for his sharp passing and improved defense. In turn, the undersized combo guard who entered the five-week buildup toward selection day facing numerous questions and serious doubts ended Wednesday’s session by making more believers. ‘I thought it was one of my better workouts. I really did. I thought I played very well,’ said Fredette, who competed against Walker, Malcolm Lee (UCLA), Josh Harrellson (Kentucky), Senario Hillman (Alabama) and Paul Carter (Illinois-Chicago) for more than an hour at the Jazz practice facility. Shooting drills and three three-on-three sessions were the focus of the workout, which was closed to the media. BYU men’s basketball coach Dave Rose was in attendance, though, as was a playofflike media contingent and a large number of Jazz sponsors who watched behind a second-floor glass window as Fredette faced Walker. Despite the intense local connection and Fredette’s belief that draft workouts are more pressure-filled than NCAA playoff games, the 22-year-old with a cultlike following and his own YouTube channel didn’t flinch. Fredette blocked out the media circus, slept easy Tuesday night, then awoke telling himself to just ‘be Jimmer.'”