Mormon Life - Jimmer Fredette tag

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

Jimmer Gallery: LDS Living Photoshoot

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: There were too many good photos of Jimmer Fedette from our photoshoot with him, so we couldn't just leave it at the cover photo. Here are several of our favorite. (Jimmer is photogenic - that's all it comes down to.)

(Want to see a video from our photo shoot? Click here. You can also read our article about Jimmer, including a personal interview. And click here for childhood photos of Jimmer!)

(Jimmer as Clark Kent.)

Channelling a little Newsies.

Jimmer likes this photo so much, it's his current Facebook photo.

Peace out.

Video: Behind the Scenes with Jimmer

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:03:00 -0700

by LDS Living
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Late last year, we got to spend a little time with Jimmer and get some photos for our Jan/Feb 2012 issue. What a great guy! Take a peek at the photo shoot itself.

For more photos from our Jimmer photo shoot, click here.

To read an excerpt of our article, click here.

To read about our managing editor's experience with Jimmer, click here.

2011: The year Mormonism went mainstream

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:48:00 -0700

source: nationalpost.com

Mormon Life says: Nice article from the National Post.

Something happened to Mormons in 2011: They got popular, gained cachet and became, well, cool.

Long thought of as outsiders, followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are enjoying a newfound acceptability and their church’s profile has risen in politics, theatre and sports.

“This is really a wonderful American story,” says Jon Butler, a professor of religious history at Yale University. “Mormons were always seen as very different. Now they’ve become just other Christians. They’ve become as interesting as Presbyterians.

Rick Reilly admits he was wrong about Jimmer Fredette

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:54:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon Life says: Go Jimmer. Last March, SI.com columnist Rick Reilly wrote an unflattering article about BYU star Jimmer Fredette and his NBA prospects.

Now, Reilly is eating crow. And paying up.

Jimmer fitting in well as King

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:21:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Jimmer Fredette is already making a splash in his new home in Sacramento, but he hasn't reached superstar status there like he has maintained in Utah for quite a while — yet.

Fredette, who scored 21 points in his first NBA preseason game over the weekend, is still flying under the radar, relatively speaking, as a King, Sports Illustrated reports.

"By the time Fredette was becoming the nation's leading scorer in his senior season with the Cougars," writes Sam Amick, "he had given up on the idea of going out and even took his final semester of classes online so each and every session didn't become a celebrity appearance. Jimmer-mania hasn't hit Sacramento yet, and that's just fine by him."

2011: The Year of the Mormon

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:36:00 -0700

source: bycommonconsent.com

Mormon Life says: This blogger lists all the people, events, and things that made this year big for the LDS Church. What a wild year it’s been. Never has Mormonism been so culturally relevant, and never has the undulating curve of popular opinion shifted so wildly, so quickly. As the year draws to a close, I think we’re safe in naming 2011 “The Year of the Mormon.” The BCC permas have picked out a few reasons why:

Jimmermania begins as Sacramento Kings open camp

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:35:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Jimmer Fredette shook fellow rookie Isaiah Thomas with a crossover dribble, spun back to his left and put up a pump fake that sent the defender tumbling to the ground. Fredette looked down at Thomas and swished a shot from above the free throw line that drew cheers from teammates.

Maybe the first time an NBA player got Jimmered.

Probably not the last.

BYU basketball: Jimmer Fredette bids former team adieu

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:01:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Even though he has exhausted his collegiate eligibility and was the No. 10 pick overall in last June's National Basketball League draft, former BYU superstar Jimmer Fredette has spent a lot of time with this year's Cougar team.

Because of the NBA lockout, Fredette practiced occasionally with BYU players in recent weeks and he has been able to sit behind the team bench for a few games, including the Cougars' 94-66 blowout of Weber State Wednesday night at the Marriott Center.

Watch Jimmer Win a Dance Contest

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 06:57:00 -0700

source: youtube.com

Mormon Life says: This is awesome. Mormon superstar Jimmer Fredette won a dance contest at a charity game in California.

Q&A with Jimmer Fredette

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:00:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Jimmer Fredette and I became friends in August 2010 right before his explosive senior year at BYU. When I heard he was in town, we arranged to catch up and chat about his recent engagement, the NBA lockout and what his plans are for the future. Needless to say, Jimmer is an amazing basketball player and more importantly a great person. It was fun to catch up. Here is part of our conversation.

Travis: How's life after BYU?

Jimmer: It's been great. It's definitely a little different. You know, I haven't really got to start my new career yet, so it almost feels like I'm still at BYU even though I'm not going to classes and I'm not part of the basketball team.

Jimmer Fredette announces engagement

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:51:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon Life says: Congratulations to both of them! Jimmer Fredette made it official late Friday, he'll be a married man. It is unknown if he will tie the knot before the NBA lockout ends but he made sure he is not locked out from his true love.

Fredette announced to his 53,971 followers on Twitter that he proposed to his longtime friend, BYU cheerleader Whitney Wonnacott.

Jake Heaps is not Jimmer Fredette — at least not yet

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:09:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Jimmer Fredette, the next generation, answers questions with a practiced blend of confidence and humility. You know the drill: respect everyone, fear no one.

The sky is the limit, he says, regarding goals and dreams. Predictions? He's not touching that, except to say he believes BYU has the potential to beat everyone on its schedule.

It is last month's preseason football media day for BYU, and quarterback Jake Heaps is the most sought-after interview in the house. Some are saying he will have a breakout season, the kind BYU's other famous quarterbacks produced. It's not impossible that he could have a year like Jimmer, the reigning national basketball player of the year.

Jimmer Fredette to play in two exhibition all-star games in Utah

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:48:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon Life says: Some lucky people get the excitement of seeing Jimmer play again. (Jealousy.) Because of the NBA lockout, no one knows when former BYU superstar Jimmer Fredette will play his first game for the Sacramento Kings.

But the reigning consensus national player of the year will play in his inaugural professional games in Utah.

Fredette is set to participate in "Jimmer's All-Stars Presented by Zions Bank," which consists of two exhibition games — one at the Maverick Center on Sept. 21 and the other at the Marriott Center on Sept. 22.