Thursday, January 27, 2011

Jimmer Fredette the next Adam Morrisson?

When one sees, hears, or watches BYU sharp shooter Jimmer Fredette play, the comparison to former Gonzaga star and current NBA journeyman Adam Morrisson are inevitable. Fredette is a fantastic shooter, who plays for a mid-major, and is now leading the NCAA in scoring. Sound familiar? Oh, and he is white too.

The latest episode of what I like to refer to as "The Jimmer Show", came at the expense of San Diego State. Fredette dropped 43 points on 14-24 from the field. It's his third 40 point game this season, and it came against a fourth ranked conference foe. Fredette is taking the nation by storm, but so did Morrisson. So, what separates Fredette from Morrisson?

1. Fredette is much quicker than Morrisson - BYU's scoring machine has the ability to create for himself. Fredette's quick first step and ability to explode and finish at the hoop are two qualities that Morrisson didn't have.

2. Fredette has a much better overall offensive game - At Gonzaga, you saw Morrisson come off a lot of screens and hit mostly mid range jumper's and college three's. Rarely did you ever see Morrisson take someone off the dribble and hit a step-back jumper, or finish at the rim, something you will see at ease from Fredette. Fredette can come off screens, spot up, hit a step-back, and take both bigger and smaller players to the rack using his quickness and strength.

3. Fredette is a flat out better athlete - Fredette possesses the rare combination of speed and strength, neither of which Morrisson could attest to. Athleticism is a must in the NBA, and Fredette will have some problems defending at the next level, but nothing close to the problems that Morrisson has faced.

4. Fredette has a much higher basketball IQ - Morrisson knew one thing at Gonzaga: come off the screen, and shoot. When watching Fredette play, you can see that he is always making the right decision. He knows when to make the extra pass, or take the shot, and he understands the conceptual part of the game, a la Steph Curry, which is hard to come by.

5. Fredette is a leader - He is a guy who knows when to take over the game, and how to do it. His teammates look to him for guidance on the court like a second coach. Unlike Morrisson, you won't see Jimmer crying at half court after a loss (hopefully), because he knows there's always another game to be played.

Morrisson may have been the victim of too much hype. Being the number three overall pick to a horrendous Bobcats franchise, with an owner who has a bigger ego than all the NBA players put together may have caused his demise. Morrisson was expected to be a savior, but he didn't possess the tools that would allow him to do so.

Fredette has sprung onto the national scene toward the end of last year, and all of this year with his amazing scoring exploits in the faces of helpless defenders. A lot of NBA teams are going to want to take him early in the first round, but many of them will think back to the Morrisson experiment, and draw comparison's to that. Fredette is climbing the draft boards, and rightfully so. He has an all-around game that is fit for the NBA.

Fredette may remind you of Morrisson, but he is much, much better.

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