Jimmer Fredette, a different kind of basketball globetrotter, continues to draw attention even far from the NBA. At age 34, the three-point shot master on Monday led the US 3x3 team to a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Santiago and started setting his mind to the Paris Olympics.
The few thousand locals watching the US team play host Chile in the men’s final were not too keen on “Jimmermania” at the start, but their hearts eventually softened for Fredette and his teammates, Kareem Maddox and Canyon Barry, who won 21-15.
In his NBA days, Fredette played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns.
Photo: Reuters
The point guard transitioned over a year ago to the half-court event, which had its debut in Tokyo with no US team on the court.
Since embracing 3x3 basketball, he set his sights on the first American gold medal in Paris in the sport that reminds him of his childhood.
“I played with my brother, we were always shooting baskets, I was always dribbling on the side. This is a bit like that, too,” Fredette told reporters in Santiago after his team’s victory. “I learned to play basketball in the streets, in the parks. It is a bit of full circle to win in 3x3.”
After high school, he received offers from 12 schools. He picked Brigham Young University, where he stood out as a scorer, became a college basketball star and a three-point shooter respected by his peers.
Jimmermania appeared after a victory against San Diego State University, in which he scored 43 points. From then on, fans carried signs saying teams he scored against had been “Jimmered.”
The 2011 No. 10 NBA draft pick did not succeed as much in the professional league, but in Santiago he sounded calm about that.
“I am here now,” Fredette said.
He left the NBA in 2016 to play for China’s Shanghai Sharks and stayed for three years. After a brief time with the Suns, he joined Panathinaikos in Greece. He has been out of a contract since he left his old team in China after the 2020-2021 season.
Fredette said he is already dreaming of a rematch against Serbia, who defeated the US at this year’s 3x3 world cup final in Vienna.
“This gold does serve as a booster,” he said.
Arminia Bielefeld on Tuesday pulled off a major upset in the DFB-Pokal by defeating defending champions Bayer 04 Leverkusen 2-1 in their semi-final. The third-division team came from behind after Jonathan Tah gave the visitors a 17th-minute lead. Marius Worl replied three minutes later and Maximilian Groser scored Bielefeld’s second goal just before the break. The home team looked more likely to add to that tally as the Leverkusen players looked jaded. “I’m just proud of this team,” Bielefeld coach Mitch Kniat said as most of the fans the small stadium sang around him. “No one will sleep in the city tonight.” Patrik Schick went
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have shown the team do not need star power to win trophies and with the French Ligue 1 title won with six games to spare, the French champions would look to finish the season without losing, manager Luis Enrique said on Saturday. A 1-0 victory over Angers SCO at the Parc des Princes helped PSG win their fourth straight Ligue 1 title and a record-extending 13th overall. PSG can still break Nantes’ 30-year-old record of 32 games unbeaten. Although Nantes lost one game en route to the title, no French club has ever gone an entire league
THREES KINGS: The Celtics claimed a piece of league history by setting a new record for the number of threes in a season, ending their game with 1,370 Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun on Friday combined for 65 points as the Houston Rockets halted Oklahoma City’s 11-game winning streak with a statement 125-111 victory. In a potential Western Conference finals preview, the Rockets produced a dominant all-round performance to jolt the top-seeded Thunder’s all-conquering preparations for the post-season. Green finished with 34 points from 11-of-24 shooting, while Turkish big man Sengun made 31 points as second-placed Houston improved to 51-27. Oklahoma City grabbed the lead in the opening minutes of the first quarter, but Houston soon knocked the Thunder out of their stride with a physical approach to move into the
RECORD WINNERS: The Catalan club, who are still in contention for a historic quadruple this season, are to face rivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final Barcelona are to face rivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final after Ferran Torres secured them a 1-0 win at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, progressing 5-4 on aggregate from the semi-final tie. Record 31-time winners Barca had the better of the clash at the Metropolitano after the wild 4-4 first-leg draw. The defeat leaves Diego Simeone’s Atletico with little to play for in the rest of the season. By contrast, the Catalans are on the hunt for a potential quadruple and are unbeaten this year, stretching their run to 21 games without defeat. Atletico were the last team to triumph
RSS