Mormon Life - Basketball tag

Mormon HS basketball star Jabari Parker makes cover of Sports Illustrated

Thu, 17 May 2012 12:11:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon Life says: Wow. This kid is amazing. Sports Illustrated rarely produces a cover story on a high school athlete, but when it comes to 17-year-old prep basketball sensation Jabari Parker, the venerable national publication couldn't resist.

Parker, a high school junior, graces the cover of this week's issue. For SI, the allure isn't simply the fact he is the reigning National High School Player of the Year and would likely be a lottery pick in this June's NBA Draft if he were eligible.

A native of Chicago, the 6-foot-9, 220-pound Parker is a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and along with leading Simeon High to three consecutive state championships and carrying an impressive 3.7 grade point average, he wakes up early three days a week for LDS seminary, carries a copy of The Book of Mormon in his backpack, and is considering serving a two-year LDS mission after his freshman year of college.

Mormon mega-recruit Jabari Parker chronicled in Time Magazine video

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:56:00 -0600

source: time.com

Mormon Life says: This Mormon basketball star has been getting scholarship offers since the seventh grade. Wow.

For Jimmer, first season in NBA is one filled with ups and downs

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:31:00 -0600

source: poststar.com

It was billed as a short, compact 66-game schedule. An NBA season played on fast-forward.

No rookie summer ball. Forget about preseason camp. And practice? Man, there would be games, but practice? With up to five games a week, practices weren’t the norm.

Still, with all Jimmer Fredette missed out in his rookie season with the Sacramento Kings, he had experiences in the Association some may never have.

LDS basketball star Jabari Parker moves into No. 1 prospect status

Tue, 01 May 2012 15:04:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

It's official. Jabari Parker now has multiple talent scouting services ranking the LDS basketball star from Chicago as the No. 1 high school player in America.

It's also no secret that he is very aware of the swath he's cutting and it's a priority, he believes, that he needs to set a proper example for his family and faith. It is important for him to try and live a good life and do things right.

That's impressive.

HS basketball star relies on Mormon faith, family to keep grounded

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:28:00 -0600

source: newsone.com

Mormon Life says: What a great example he is for the Church. This is what it’s like to be Jabari Parker, the nation’s top high school basketball player.

One day he’s presenting a project in his Spanish class, turns around and sees Alonzo Mourning. Parker takes a seat and grins. The former Miami Heat star is making a surprise visit to give him the Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year award.

And there are nights like this.

Experience, perspective are two teachers of basketball player Chris Burgess

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:28:00 -0600

source: MormonTimes.com

Seated on a basement couch, clad in crimson University of Utah gear and surrounded by his collection of basketball memorabilia, 32-year-old Chris Burgess spoke of his two great teachers — experience and perspective.

“I’ve learned a lot,” Burgess said of the past 16 years. “I’m sure I need to learn more.”

Amid countless games, teammates, coaches, jerseys and itineraries, there is little that basketball hasn't offered to Burgess. He's been a McDonald’s high school all-American and highly touted recruit, lost an NCAA championship, experienced frustrating injuries, failed to realize his NBA dream, married his sweetheart, started a family, and traveled the world, playing for 10 different teams in seven countries on four different continents. In late February, he suited up for his 11th foreign squad in Puerto Rico.

Is Jimmermania over? Jimmer Fredette no King in NBA yet

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:49:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Far away from the NBA's brightest lights, Jimmer Fredette can walk into a restaurant or grocery store in California's Central Valley and barely turn a head.

There are still some signs and shouts of "We Want Jimmer!" at Sacramento Kings games, and photo and autograph seekers sprout up sporadically. But that's here, on the fringe of the league landscape.

Around the nation, there's no Jimmermania this March.

Missionary-to-be thrust into NCAA tourney spotlight

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:44:00 -0600

source: MormonTimes.com

Against all odds, freshman Stilman White is the starting point guard for defending national champion North Carolina as the Tar Heels make final preparations to compete in the Sweet Sixteen on Friday.

As Trent Toone detailed for the Deseret News back in January, White plans on serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the season ends. "Some have discouraged White from going through with his plan to serve a mission, but the freshman remains resolute. He credits the gospel for all the blessings in his life."

Cougars rally for historic victory

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:44:00 -0600

source: ldschurchnews.com

Just days after the BYU women's team made history by winning their first West Coast Conference tournament championship, their counterparts on the men's team were making history of their own.

On March 13, the "comeback" Cougars overcame a 25 point deficit in their game against the Iona Gaels to claim a 78-72 victory in the first round game of the NCAA Tournament. The rally set a record for the largest comeback in the tournament's rich history.

BYU women overcome challenges

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:35:00 -0600

source: ldschurchnews.com

It's been a memorable year for Brigham Young University's women's basketball. Memorable in many ways.

For one, the Cougars were playing their first season in the West Coast Conference, leaving behind their familiar foes from the Mountain West Conference.

Mormons compete in NCAA tournament

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:36:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Harvard reserve guard Corbin Miller saw little action against Vanderbilt on Thursday, but he still made the box score.

The 6-foot-2 freshman from Sandy, Utah, recorded one rebound and one turnover in the 12th-seeded Crimson's 79-70 loss to the Commodores in the first round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Jimmer writes about what he has learned from his mother

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:20:00 -0700

source: MormonTimes.com

Mormon Life says: Sweet story. If there is such a thing as a conventional LDS family, mine was certainly not it.

My father joined the church when he was 18, along with his brother Dennis and sister Bonnie. He has been very active and has served in many church callings throughout his life, including everything from being a counselor in the bishopric and Young Men organization to serving as a ward mission leader. My dad is both devoted and faithful.

My mother is also devoted and faithful, but it just so happens that she’s Catholic.

Twenty years' worth of church ball for two LDS men

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:43:00 -0700

source: standard.net

Mormon Life says: What a feel-good story. Many nights a month, Curtis Christiansen and Philip Michelsen sit at a table on the stage of the Fruit Heights Stake Center for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where they have kept score and managed the clock at church basketball games for 20 years.

The two good friends were recently honored for their work by stake leaders.

Harvard's LDS hoopster

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:59:00 -0700

source: ldschurchnews.com

These are strange days at Harvard University. For centuries, the Ivy League school has earned renown for producing everything from U.S. presidents (from John Adams — class of 1755 — through Barack Obama) to computer industry icons (think Bill Gates and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg).

But the Crimson's reputation on the hardwood is far less illustrious. Harvard has never really been counted among the nation's top basketball programs — or attracted top Latter-day Saint hoopsters. That's all changed this season. The team is ranked in the top-25 (a historic first) and enjoying, at press time, a record of 20 wins against just two losses. Part of the squad's success can be attributed to a lifelong Latter-day Saint who — again, at press time — was waiting for his mission call to arrive and will soon leave Cambridge for two years to serve the Lord.

BYU Student Flash Mob at Basketball Game

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:23:00 -0700

source: youtube.com

New DVD chronicles 'The Making of Jimmer'

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:39:00 -0700

source: MormonTimes.com

Mormon Life says: Don't forget to read LDS Living's cover story on Jimmer! As a rookie who recently completed his first full month of professional basketball, Jimmer Fredette has some chapters left to write in his basketball career.

But the story has been plenty compelling so far.

"The Making of Jimmer," a new release from Excel Entertainment, chronicles Fredette's journey from scrappy kid on the playground to college basketball icon to NBA lottery pick.

Basketball player at high-profile university stays firm on plans for serving LDS mission

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:33:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

The telephone call that Stilman White dreamed of came on the afternoon of March 29, 2011. He was driving home from a workout. The senior guard from Wilmington, N.C., was surprised to hear the voice of North Carolina head coach Roy Williams. White suddenly sat forward in the driver's seat and tightened his grip on the wheel.

"It was nerve-racking. When his name pops up, you kind of clear your throat," White said in a phone interview. "He said he had a scholarship open for me if I wanted to come to Chapel Hill. I committed. I sped home and told my mom the good news. I was pretty excited. I didn't get much sleep that night."

Jimmer Gallery: Childhood Photos

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:24:00 -0700

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Jimmer let us look at some of his childhood photos. These are a few of our favorites.

(Click here to read our article about Jimmer, including a personal interview, and about our managing editor's experience with Jimmer. And click here for photos of LDS Living's photoshoot with Jimmer!)

Baby Jimmer.

Jimmer, age 4.

Jimmer at a Yankees game.

Jimmer and brother, TJ, practicing basketball.

Jimmer and TJ.

Jimmer as a waterboy.

Jimmer playing for his high school team.

Jimmer with some reporters after one of his high school games.

{LDSL Blog} My Interview with Jimmer Fredette

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:16:00 -0700

by Jamie Lawson
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: “You got Jimmered!”

Many people are familiar with this popular phrase, but in case you missed it, it stems from last year’s incredible athletic performance of then-BYU basketball phenom Jimmer Fredette.

Just before his NBA career began with the Sacramento Kings this season, Fredette took some time to sit down with me and talk about sports, the gospel, and his upcoming wedding. Here’s what it was like to meet the man behind the mania.

I recently interviewed Jimmer Fredette for an article in LDS Living’s January/February issue (click here to read an excerpt). The 6-foot 2-inch point guard was quiet but friendly and incredibly down to earth. And it was clear that he has earned every accolade he has received.

Jimmer told me he had dreamed of playing in the NBA since he was five years old. But he did much more than dream—he practiced relentlessly to achieve his goal. “Now I have to set a new goal: to be the best player in the NBA,” he said with a smile.

Jimmer grew up in a tight-knit family in upstate New York. But did you know that while Jimmer’s father, Al, is a member of the Church, Jimmer’s mother, Kay, is Catholic? Despite their religious differences, Jimmer says his mother has been very supportive of the LDS faith.

“She wanted us to be raised LDS because she likes the lifestyle,” he explained. “She saw that there were good people involved in the Church.”

Jimmer said his parents let their children decide for themselves if they wanted to be baptized. “I didn’t get baptized until I was ten,” he recalled. “I didn’t go to Primary all that often when I was younger. I think that’s why I waited.”

As he has risen to fame, Jimmer has taken every opportunity to share his beliefs with the media, fans, and fellow players. “The gospel has been a huge blessing in my life,” he said. “I love the Church and want everyone to know about it.” He also said he and his fiancée, Whitney Wonnacott, will rely on the gospel to keep them strong as they adjust to a new life in the NBA.

I’m grateful to Jimmer for his willingness to speak with us at LDS Living, and I wish him all the best in his career and his upcoming marriage. Hail to the Kings!

To view our photo gallery from our photoshoot with Jimmer, click here.

To check out some photos from Jimmer's childhood, click here.

To check out some behind-the-scenes video from our photoshoot with Jimmer, click here.

Up Close with Jimmer Fredette

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:07:00 -0700

by Jamie Lawson
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Jimmer Fredette has dedicated his life to becoming the best basketball player—and the best person— he can be. Get an inside look of what drives the Jimmer in this excerpt of our January/February cover story.

(Check out photo galleries of Jimmer here and here. You can also watch a video from our photo shoot and read a personal blog post about our managing editor's experience with Jimmer.)

On January 26, 2011, Jimmermania reached fever pitch.

At BYU’s Marriott Center, nearly 23,000 people watched Jimmer Fredette, a small-town boy from upstate New York and the nation’s leading scorer, sink 43 points against the undefeated San Diego State Aztecs. The crowd erupted with increased intensity as he scored shot after shot, breaking the Marriott Center scoring record for three-pointers and leading BYU to a 71–58 victory in what was dubbed the most important game in Mountain West Conference history. After the buzzer, thousands of fans rushed the floor, and security had to protect the 6-foot 2-inch point guard from the tidal wave of people screaming his name.

“I felt like a rock star at that moment,” Fredette recalls. “I’d never experienced that before.”

After that game, Fredette’s name was everywhere. It was a verb. It was an adjective. Phrases like “You got Jimmered” and “scoring from ‘Jimmer range’” became instantly prolific. It was no surprise that after his phenomenal junior and senior years at BYU, Fredette was the number-10 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, landing a spot with the Sacramento Kings. His lifelong goal of becoming an NBA player is now a reality—a goal he had been working toward since he was five years old.

A Little Kid with Big Dreams

James Taft Fredette, a.k.a. Jimmer, was born in Glens Falls, New York, on February 25, 1989. The youngest of three children, he grew up in a tight-knit family with his sister, Lindsay, his brother, TJ, and his parents, Al and Kay. From a very early age, it was clear that Fredette, a chunky, curly-haired kid with chubby cheeks, was blessed with remarkable physical ability and fierce determination.

“I was always around sports, so that’s probably what gave me a really competitive spirit when I was younger,” he explains. “People would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I would always tell them I wanted to be an NBA player. A lot of kids say that, but for some reason I feel like I was different. I never saw myself doing anything else.”

Recognizing his talent and passion for basketball, Fredette’s parents allowed him to bounce basketballs throughout the house and even built a dribbling studio for him in their basement. His uncle, Lee Taft, a personal trainer, had him running drills at age five. But perhaps what has given Fredette his greatest athletic advantage is his relationship with his brother, TJ, who is seven years older.

Bond of Brothers

“There was a special bond between us from the beginning,” says TJ Fredette. “I thought it was the coolest thing in the world to be a big brother. I loved his company—just a little guy who was always tagging along.”

Whenever TJ played basketball with his friends, Jimmer was on the court, too. In fact, Jimmer became accustomed to playing against older, more experienced athletes, which helped him hone his skills. Soon he was a real competitor and consistently played up one or two divisions.

“Jimmer had great hand-eye coordination and he was really fast,” TJ recalls. “I thought, ‘If we work with him, he’ll be a monster someday.’”

So TJ did work with him, creating all kinds of unconventional drills to help Jimmer develop a physical and mental edge over his opponents. TJ even made arrangements for them to play basketball with the inmates at a nearby prison. “The games were really intense. We were playing against grown men who were really strong,” he says. “It was a hostile environment, so I figured nothing else would bother Jimmer after playing that crowd. It was a great experience for him.”

“TJ made basketball fun for me,” says Jimmer. “He made me want to practice. I wanted to play because he wanted to play. I wanted to be in the NBA because he did, too. As he got older, he saw that it wasn’t going to happen for him, so he thought that if he worked as hard as he could with me, I could make it into the NBA and a part of him would be there with me.”

By his junior year in high school, Jimmer had become a local celebrity, garnering constant media attention for his outstanding athletic performance. TJ grew concerned about the increasing pressure his younger brother was under, so he devised a way to keep Jimmer focused on his NBA dreams. “I knew the pressure would only get worse,” says TJ. “He’s always been a shy, reserved kid, and I wanted to know if he could handle it. So I wrote a contract for him to sign, where he agreed to do whatever it took to reach his ultimate goal of playing in the NBA.”

On January 27, 2007, at their regular workout, TJ pulled the contract out of his pocket and asked Jimmer to sign it. “When it first happened, I kind of laughed,” says Jimmer. “He had clearly just written it seconds beforehand. We both signed it, though, and I put it above my bed. I saw it every night and every morning. It would remind me to work as hard as I can for my goal. It turned out to be something that was really smart. It’s still hanging there on my wall.”

Despite earning several prestigious accolades in high school, including being ranked among the top 75 shooting guards by ESPN and ranking sixth on New York state’s all-time scoring list, Fredette received little attention from college recruiters. Still, he received offers from 12 schools, including Brigham Young University. So the Glens Falls Indian chose to become a BYU Cougar.

True Blue

Fredette took his place on the BYU team as #32. His freshman year, he was a second-string player but played in every game, becoming the team’s fifth-leading scorer. The next year he started in 32 of 33games and earned first-team all-conference honors—BYU’s first point guard to do so since 1990. It was clear his star was rising quickly, but at home, TJ was suffering from devastating neurological problems, most likely caused by the anesthesia used during a surgery for his torn left ACL.

“It left me with minor brain damage—constant dizziness, migraines, my blood pressure would drop. I was almost too weak to stand,” TJ recalls. “It was a time when I was struggling so much. I had nothing going for me.”

Jimmer was largely unaware of TJ’s condition because “we wanted him to be able to focus,” TJ explains. Little did Jimmer realize that the only thing that brought TJ joy was watching his younger brother excel on the court. “He was everything to me,” says TJ. “To have him doing what he was doing, that was the only thing that pulled me out of my depression. It gave me enough hope and pleasure to make it through.”

During his junior year, Fredette continued to make his brother proud, breaking several records, including the Mountain West Conference (MWC) tournament and tournament single-game scoring records, as well as the record for MWC tournament record for most free throws scored in a single game. He went on to help BYU reach the second round of the NCAA tournament—something that hadn’t been accomplished in 17 years. By the end of the season, Fredette had caught the attention of NBA recruiters, and he seriously considered forgoing his senior year to enter the 2010 NBA Draft. Ultimately, however, he chose to stay at BYU for another season. It was a decision he wouldn’t regret.

Jimmermania

During the 2010–2011 NCAA basketball season, Fredette became a living legend.

“I had three games in a row—against University of Utah, Colorado State, and San Diego State—where I scored over 40 points at each. That’s when everything exploded,” he recalls. “Like on ESPN, you’d see an NBA player like Ray Allen, the best three-point shooter of all time. He’d make a shot from long range and the sportscaster would say, ‘That was from Jimmer range.’ It was crazy.”

But Fredette admits he was unprepared for the sudden fame.

“During my junior year, some people knew who I was, and I’d be asked for an autograph here or there,” he says. But everything changed that last year, after the victory over archrival University of Utah, when he attended a Utah Jazz game with his then-girlfriend (now fiancée), Whitney Wonnacott.

“People began passing things down the row for me to sign. Then more people noticed I was there and it started getting really bad,” he recalls. “Then they announced my name on the megatron and said that the lead scorer of the NCAA was here. Suddenly, the NBA players and all the people in the stands were clapping for me. I didn’t know they were going to do that.” It took four security guards to escort the couple to their car amid the mobs of people clamoring for a glimpse of Fredette.

“From that point on, I’ve had to plan for pictures and autographs,” he says. “One day it was fine and the next day it wasn’t.”

According to Fredette, the hardest part about the fame is trying to do “regular things” like going to the movies or dining at restaurants. “People are going to see me. It’s hard because I don’t want to worry about that and just relax with family and friends,” he says. “Now we have to call ahead and get a private room. We order takeout a lot. It’s weird.”

Wonnacott adds, “Just going out to dinner, I will be completely finished with my meal and he won’t have even started because he is taking pictures and signing autographs, but you get used to it. I try to bring friends so I will have someone to talk to,” she jokes.

Despite the inconveniences, Fredette is grateful for the fans and considers his fame a privilege.

“I reached my goal, and I can be a good role model for kids. I take that very seriously,” he says. “I try to be a good person and make sure they can have someone to look up to who did it the right way. But also, I’m from a small town, not super athletic—just a normal guy who made his dream come true. Hopefully kids will take that to heart and try to make their dreams come true, too.”

To read the rest of this article, including Jimmer's thoughts on his new NBA career and future marriage, pick up a January/February 2012 copy of LDS Living! Click here to purchase.

(Check out photo galleries of Jimmer here and here.)