Finally it is NBA Draft Week! I, for one, have been waiting for this week for so long. The countless mock drafts and arguments about if it is better to draft for need or to draft best player available are so old that I am just ready to get it all over with. This college and NBA offseason have been of particular interest to us here at VTF because of the one and only James Taft Fredette. Over the past few months, Jimmer has been linked to teams picking anywhere from 7th to 17th. Jimmer's stock has risen in the past month or so as a direct result of his great workouts with each team that he visits. In his latest mock draft (version 5.0), Chad Ford now has Jimmer going to the Pacers at 15. I find this odd that he suddenly drops two spots in the week before the draft.
Here's a quick overview of what teams in Jimmer's range of picks are saying about him. The teams reportedly interested in him are the Kings (7), Bobcats (9), Bucks (10), Jazz (12), Suns (13), Pacers (15) and Knicks (17).
Lots of buzz has been generated about Jimmer to the Kings, most of it by our own Lars.ON, but during his workout with the team he really impressed the coaches and media with his toughness, energy, shooting and his interviews after the workout. If Jimmer goes to the Kings, most pundits will think it was a huge stretch for them but I have no doubts that Jimmer can be a solid contributor in the NBA.
The Bobcats haven't had Jimmer in for a workout and in fact their outlook on The Jimmer is completely different than most other teams. It appears that Michael Jordan in wary about making the same mistake in drafting Jimmer as he made in his first draft where he drafted Adam Morrison. Many comparisons have been made between the two and it appears the Bobcats won't touch Jimmer with a ten-foot pole.
Jimmer reportedly turned down a workout with the Bucks a few weeks ago and this may force the Bucks to not target him anymore.
Since day 1, Jimmer to the Jazz has been thrown through the wringer and scrutinized from all sides. It is true that the Jazz need a PG of the future but is Jimmer that guy? Are any of the other PGs in this draft not named Kyrie Irving that guy? Who knows what the future holds for any of these guys but one thing is for sure, Jimmer would definitely sell tickets and merchandise on the Jazz. Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune points out a side of the story that not everyone is talking about. If Jimmer goes to the Jazz, will he be able to deal with the pressure of playing in a fishbowl market like Salt Lake?
If the Jazz pass on Jimmer, the Phoenix Suns might take him. With Steve Nash going into his 15th year in the league and Dragic traded to the Rockets last season, Jimmer might be a perfect fit here. Jimmer could learn the NBA game behind one of the greatest PGs ever and then take over for him in a year or two.
The Indiana Pacers love The Jimmer and he had a great workout with them. I don't know if Jimmer is available here but if he is I doubt the Pacers pass on his unique skill set.
Last but not least, the Knicks sit at an awkward spot with the 17th pick. Jimmer is a home state hero and would fit in great with Mike D'Antoni's uptempo offense and with Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudamire gettting most of the opposing team's attention, Jimmer could have a big impact for the Knicks. Unfortunately for the Knicks, there is almost zero chance Jimmer is available. There are rumors that the Knicks are now looking to trade up so they don't miss out on Jimmer.
After the jump I will provide a few more links about Jimmer and also news on a new BYU WR that will start school later this week and may be able to make a quick impact on the football team this year!
Basketballprospectus.com has this great article comparing Jimmer to JJ Redick with a few videos showing how they are similar and how they are different.
Will Jimmer succeed in the NBA or won't he? These two CBSsports writers have differing opinions.
Terenn Houk is the newest BYU wide receiver, recently committing to the school after a visit where he was showed around by Joshua "Juice" Quezada. Houk should bring a lot of athleticism to the team and he is a smart kid, almost going to an Ivy League school.