FIBA 3×3 World Cup
Jimmer Fredette has seen success in so many different seasons of life, from the “JimmerMania” days of college basketball superstardom at BYU, to his time in the NBA, and international career in Shanghai. Now, at 34-years-old, Fredette is chasing a new dream – the Paris 2024 Olympics, where 3×3 basketball returns to the world’s biggest stage for the second time.
The Glens Falls, NY native was part of the U.S. men’s team that took the silver at the 2023 FIBA 3×3 World Cup this summer in Vienna, Austria.
Fredette reflects on some of the monumental moments in his career, how he’s learned to be a more confident person on and off the court, and opens up about why he feels the most like himself at this stage of his life, in the conversation below.
*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How did you get your start in basketball? When did you first fall in love with the sport and when did becoming a professional athlete become a dream for you?
Jimmer Fredette: I started pretty early. My brother is seven years older than me and my sister is nine years older than me. I was always watching them play sports and I just wanted to be out there with them playing constantly. When my brother was out there shooting baskets, I was out there dribbling on the side and working on my game as much as I could when I was that age. I started playing probably around five years old, and then just kept growing into it and I’ve loved the sport ever since.
When I was probably in second or third grade, I was one of those kids who from a young age, wanted to be a professional basketball player. I didn’t realize it was going to be able to happen until later on.
Fast forward to your college days, you had offers from BYU, Sienna, and a few other smaller schools. What led you to BYU and why did you decide to go there?
Fredette: First of all, I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints so that definitely played a part into it. But also, my sister went to BYU so I was…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/jimmer-fredette-opens-nba-career-162024768.html?src=rss
Author : NBC Sports
Publish date : 2023-09-13 16:20:24
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