Chad Ford's lated NBA Mock Draft has the Phoenix Suns taking the Jimmer Fredette with the 13th pick. It's an interesting choice for sure and one that would please many Suns' fans. Jimmer is a cult hero at this point thanks to his scoring prowess at BYU but there are questions about his ability to play a true point guard role at the NBA level.
Fredette was generally considered to be a poor defender in college and is a shoot-first guard who's too small to run out as a starting shooting guard. Think Ben Gordon or to a lesser degree, Eddie House. What Fredette can do really well is shoot the ball and he has a variety of moves around the rim that makes him more than just a long-range bomber.
The Suns could certainly use a guy like that off the bench, especially if Aaron Brooks is allowed to leave in free agency. But if he's brought in with the idea of being the heir apparent to Steve Nash he will join of a long line of guys who've had that label thrust upon them only to see it slide right off.
One thing The Jimmer has that no only prospect in the 2011 NBA Draft can claim is his own song. Teach Me How To Jimmer has nearly 800,000 YouTube hits putting him in Justin Beiber territory as a pop celebrity for young girls.
It's too soon to say if Jimmer would be a bad pick for the Suns. That will depend on who else is available and more so, on what the expectations for him are.
Fredette was generally considered to be a poor defender in college and is a shoot-first guard who's too small to run out as a starting shooting guard. Think Ben Gordon or to a lesser degree, Eddie House. What Fredette can do really well is shoot the ball and he has a variety of moves around the rim that makes him more than just a long-range bomber.
The Suns could certainly use a guy like that off the bench, especially if Aaron Brooks is allowed to leave in free agency. But if he's brought in with the idea of being the heir apparent to Steve Nash he will join of a long line of guys who've had that label thrust upon them only to see it slide right off.
It's too soon to say if Jimmer would be a bad pick for the Suns. That will depend on who else is available and more so, on what the expectations for him are.
