Will Coach Popovich be Able to Make a Player out of Jimmer Fredette?

"Jimmer Fredette Kings" by Mike - Flickr: (2013-12-21) Kings at Magic 33. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Jimmer Fredette is going into his sixth NBA season with the San Antonio Spurs. In the 2011 draft, he went 10th and was picked by the Milwaukee Bucks. He was later traded to the Sacramento Kings. His rookie season was an okay season with the Sacramento Kings. He averaged a good 7.6 PPG, 1.8 APG, and shot 36.1% from the 3 point line. While Fredette looked like he was on track, his second season was about the same as the first. Jimmer shot about 41% from the 3 point line in his second season, while shooting over 150 three pointers. Jimmer still only averaged about 7 PPG though. His 3rd season with the Kings, he only averaged 5.9 PPG. He did however shoot 49.3% from the 3 point line but he only shot 73 threes. While his offense wasn't improving, his defensive rating was an average of 108.25 out of those three seasons! After the Kings saw no improvement in Jimmer's offense and seeing that he couldn't play defense, they traded him.

Jimmer was traded to the Bulls where he played only 8 games. Tom Thibodeau, the head coach of the Bulls at the time, was a defensive coach and couldn't work with Fredette. Jimmer averaged only 4 PPG and shot only 36% with the Bulls.

The Pelicans decided to give Jimmer a chance, signing him to a 1 year deal. Jimmer had his worst season yet. With the Pelicans, he averaged 3.6 PPG, 1.2 APG, and only shot 18% from the 3 point line! Even though he shot horrible, he did however, improve his defense a little bit. It wasn't much, and it still wasn't good, but he did lower it to 104.9. The Pelicans saw that they didn't want Fredette and didn't bother to sign him.

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Jimmer was signed to a 1-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs this summer. The question for everyone is will Coach Gregg Popovich be able to get Jimmer to become a better player. Jimmer has not been able to improve and people are hoping that he will be able to get better with the Spurs this season. The only problem facing Jimmer, is that 3 people from the Spurs are going to get cut. Jimmer having experience, could be able to make the team, but it will be tough. He is going to have to play extra hard if he is going to be able to make it.

Even if Jimmer makes the team, he won't get much time and he might not even play at all. Take a look at the bench depth at the guard positions.

PG- Tony Parker (starter), Patty Mills (bench)
SG- Danny Green (starter), Manu Ginobili (bench), Ray McCollum (Res.), Jonathan Simmons (Res.)

As you can see, with 7 guards on the team, Jimmer might not get any playing time at all.

Coach Popovich might be able to make Fredette a team player. If he can do that, Jimmer would have a spot in the NBA as a great bench player of even a starter. Fredette has to realize though that this could very well be his last chance in the NBA. Whether the Spurs play him, or send him to the D-league, he has to play his best. Coach Popovich has to help him and show him his defensive tips. And with last year's defensive player of the year, Kawhi Leonard, he might be able to really help Fredette with defense. With the Spurs being a team that gets everyone involved in their offense, this would be a great place for Jimmer to start over at. That is, if he can make the team.