2011 NBA Mock Draft: Jazz Use Second First-Round Pick on Jimmer Fredette

To say Jimmer Fredette is big in Utah would be an understatement.

Fredette, the BYU superstar, has been a lightning rod for positive and negative reasons.

While Fredette was a college phenom and the best player in the nation last year, people constantly questioned his NBA prospects, criticized him and tore him down as BYU got closer and closer to the NCAA Tournament.

However, the reality is that Fredette is going to find a niche at the pro level. The man can simply shoot the lights out, with range from the concession stands. When you're a scorer, you will always have a place on an NBA roster, and why not Utah, a team that is trying to rebuild after losing Deron Williams.



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While Fredette will likely translate best to the shooting guard position, he'll fit in nicely on a team that won't really expect much from him early on and not force him into situations that he's uncomfortable with.

That's key to his development, as they try to bring him around defensively and get him to the point where he can play consistent minutes. Until then, he'll play based on the situation and be used as a spark plug off of the bench.

Eventually, Fredette will come around and be a valuable player at the next level. If Stephen Curry can thrive in this league, so can he.

He has a lot of upside, and for a team that already snagged top talent earlier in the first round, Fredette is a nice option later on and should fit in nicely in an environment where he'll be nurtured and molded into an NBA player.