During the early 2010s, Jimmer Fredette became a household name in college basketball while playing for BYU. His remarkable skills on the court earned him Naismith and Player of the Year honors for the 2010-11 season. In that same season, he led BYU to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive time, etching his name into the annals of college basketball history with a record 2,599 career points, the most in Mountain West history.
Fredette's talent did not go unnoticed as he was drafted No. 10 overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2011 NBA Draft. However, his NBA career experienced ups and downs. Reflecting on his professional journey, Fredette remarked, "Obviously the NBA career was very up-and-down, but that doesn’t just happen to just me. It’s about trying to find the right fit at the right time in the right situation, and that didn’t quite happen the way it could have for me."
As Fredette's NBA career concluded, a new opportunity emerged in the form of 3x3 basketball, a faster-paced, half-court variant of the traditional game. Fredette embraced this format and thrived, leveraging his scoring ability and experience to make an impact on the international stage. His efforts did not go unrecognized as he was honored as the 2023 USA Basketball 3x3 Male Athlete of the Year.
3x3 Basketball Takes the Olympic Stage
In the summer of 2024, Fredette will headline the U.S. 3x3 men's basketball team at the Paris Olympics. This event marks only the second time 3x3 basketball is recognized as an official Olympic event. The U.S. team, which also features Kareem Maddox, Dylan Travis, and Canyon Barry, looks to improve on its performance after failing to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games.
The competition is fierce, with Team USA facing formidable opponents like Serbia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, France, China, and the Netherlands in a round-robin format. The top two teams from the group will advance to the semi-finals, while the teams finishing between third and sixth will face off in the quarterfinals. The medal round is scheduled for August 5.
The Fast-Paced World of 3x3 Basketball
3x3 basketball brings a different intensity compared to its five-on-five counterpart. With a 12-second shot clock and a half-court setting, the game demands quick decision-making and relentless effort. Field goals are worth one point, or two points if shot from beyond the arc, and there is no inbounds pass after a made basket. "Possession changes after each made basket, and players need to dribble or pass the ball outside the arc before attempting a shot," explained Fredette. The game begins with a coin toss to determine which team starts on offense or defense, and a team wins either by being the first to score 21 points or by holding the highest score after a single 10-minute quarter. If the game is tied after the quarter, the first team to score two points in overtime claims victory.
Reflecting on the nuances of the 3x3 format, Fredette noted, "The way this sport works, you either really like it or you don’t like it at all. That people love it or hate it, I see the reasons why. It’s difficult, there’s a lot of travel involved all across the world. Sometimes you travel 36 hours for a tournament and if you lose two games you’re done in like 20 minutes. There's just so much emotion in 3×3 basketball, and it's different than five-on-five."
USA's Road to Paris
Team USA's journey to the Paris Olympics has been marked by resilience and determination. They finished second at the 2024 World Cup, trailing only Serbia, which holds fourth place on the world leaderboard and bagged a bronze in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Latvia, the reigning Olympic champion in 3x3 basketball, secured third place at the 2023 World Cup.
As the Paris Olympics draw near, Fredette remains a central figure in Team USA's plans. His leadership and scoring prowess have been instrumental in the team's preparations, and he is poised to make a significant impact on the global stage. For Fredette, the journey continues as he seeks to add an Olympic medal to his storied career, bridging the gap between his collegiate brilliance and his current 3x3 basketball exploits.