US Olympian Jimmer Fredette tries to help BYU with recruiting

Las Vegas • Long before Jimmer Fredette was Jimmer Fredette — the one-goal shooter who became college basketball’s biggest draw — he was a little-known 3X3 player in New York.

As a kid, he drove to Hartford, Conn., and Boston, Mass. He and his friends competed in Gus Macker tournaments and Hoop it Up events, playing 3X3 matches until they were forced to go home. Fredette’s iconic shooting move — throwing the ball in front of his right eye as he stood up — burned down the nets in those gyms.

Now, some two decades later, Fredette is channeling those 3X3 days again. This time on the Olympic podium.

The former BYU National Player of the Year is headed to Paris to star for Team USA’s 3X3 basketball team. It may not be what he imagined his Olympic debut would be like, but at 35, it’s the career bookend that makes the most sense: ending his storied basketball life where it began as a young player.

“It’s still basketball, but it takes you back to your roots,” Fredette said. “That’s fun because I used to play 3X3 with all my friends and just have a good time. So that was definitely something I liked about it. It’s something new and fresh. And of course, it’s the Olympics on the line. So yeah, it makes it more exciting.”

Fredette is entering the final chapter of his playing career. The last time he played professionally was in Shanghai, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, he has immersed himself in The Basketball Tournament as a player and coach.

He made the transition from those 5-on-5 leagues to leading Team USA’s 3X3 squad for the past two years. It’s a different style, with games initially going to 21 points — or 10 minutes — and each basket worth one or two points.

Fredette has been to two FIBA World Cups for the sport, coming away with two medals.

But off the field, he is beginning to settle into other roles.

That’s especially true at BYU, where Fredette has a strong bond with new head coach Kevin Young and says he’s played an active role in the Cougars’ recruiting efforts. Since coming out of the NBA ranks, Young has recruited a higher-level player than BYU has ever achieved, signing two potential first-round draft picks in Egor Demin and Kanon Catchings.

The last BYU player drafted in the first round was Fredette himself in 2011.

“Yeah, I’ve been fortunate enough to talk to a couple of guys,” Fredette said of helping with recruiting. “I haven’t talked to a lot of the recent guys because (the recruiting process) went so fast. All of a sudden they were (signed). I told (Young), ‘If you need anything, let me know. I’m happy to help you in any way I can, whether it’s with the recruits or whatever. The current guys, whatever it may be.’ So yeah, I’m open to some help if he needs it.”

Fredette’s relationship with Young began when he was playing in the G League, when Young was the head coach of the Delaware Blue Coats. Fredette played against Young’s teams several times.

“I knew him a little bit from playing against him,” he said. “When I faced him a couple times in the NBA, I talked to him a little bit.

“I was able to talk to him when he got the job at BYU and everything. He’s just a high-level coach. He really knows his X’s and O’s. He’s been in the playoffs and coached the best players in the world. So he knows all that stuff. And obviously he’s done a great job now of attracting all those guys to BYU.”

Although Fredette spoke with Young when he got the job at BYU, Fredette said he was not part of the process to officially bring him to Provo. After former head coach Mark Pope left for Kentucky, Fredette didn’t realize Young was an option. He thought Young would take an NBA head coaching job this offseason.

“Once he had a chance to get a few interviews for NBA jobs, you thought that was it,” he said. “And then when the BYU job opened up, (associate athletic director) Brian Santiago and (athletic director) Tom Holmoe wanted to find the best candidates, and I think they did that. Finding Kevin Young and luring him to come to BYU was quite a feat.”

Fredette also had a relationship with Pope. He occasionally helped recruit staff for his staff, but it was not frequent.

“He would ask me every once in a while if there was a guy I could relate to or whatever,” Fredette said of Pope. “He would just ask me if I could reach out to him and talk to him. It wasn’t super heavy or anything, but I definitely talked to guys.”

Fredette is still wading into his off-court life. It is not his only focus yet. He still has to play games in Paris, because he is going for his first Olympic gold. He won a gold medal at the FIBA games.

Now he hopes he can do it again.