Krapinsky wrote:phonzadellika wrote:Jimmer can't be that possibly be that bad at D...he has to save all his fouls for the offensive-side...he's too valuable to play defense at BYU...if he gave a stern disapproving look to a penetrating PG in the NBA he'd be playing better defense than Jonny
He can.... and he is. Looking at the guy he is guarding would be an improvement. That argument is not going to pass much muster with me. How many guards foul out of college games? It rarely ever happens. I find it hard to believe that his team wouldn't be better off saving points on defense vs. the amount of points his team would lose on the rare chance he would foul out of a game. At the very least he could D up until he got to 3 fouls.
It isn't just about not fouling out, it's lessening his defensive responsibility due to the amount of offensive responsibility he assumes as both the primary scorer and distributor. That type of role is a lot of energy to expend. BYU isn't the first team to hide a player that important on the offensive end and they won't be the last.
All that being said, Fredette's defense is atrocious and the biggest question mark in regards to his draft stock. I watched both his tourney games, along with 6-7 BYU games before the tournament, last year I watched both his games in the tournament along with 2-3 before, and a couple games his sophomore year when all the announcers would talk about is how he played basketball like a football player and wouldn't shut up about his shoulders.
In all that time, I think I've seen him get in a legitimate defensive crouch once, in their 2nd game against San Diego State this year. Once he did, Billy White blew by him with zero resistance.
I think he's a lotto pick despite his defensive shortcomings, and I'd definitely take him over Flynn, even though you're right in saying he wouldn't be a defensive upgrade.
In regards to the Ben Gordon comparison, I think Jimmer has a better chance to stick as a PG and isn't as gifted physically as Gordon (although the concerns over his athleticism do get overblown). The comparison I keep coming back to is Cassell with more range. A score first PG who succeeds because he's crafty, creative, uses screens well and a quick enough release that he can take advantage of any moment the defense relaxes.
......then cry. 
