Jimmer Fredette daring to dream: JimmerMania all over again in 3x3 basketball at Paris 2024?

Jimmer Fredette remembers it well.

He should, he invented it.

“It was pretty insane,” he tells Olympics.com.

Back in 2011, the USA basketball world was riding the wave of 'JimmerMania'.

But what in the world is, or was, JimmerMania?

Fredette was college basketball’s national player of the year and NBA lottery pick in 2011. He went as the number 10 pick to the Milwaukee Bucks and was then traded to the Sacramento Kings, all the whle doing insane things on a basketball court. He scored at will on any and every kind of defence. He pushed the envelope of the college “Logo 3” - a routine three-point show from near the halfcourt logo.

His crazy scoring prowess was ruling the internet. A social media mogul. “Jim-sanity”.Runaway college player of the year, Fredette averaged 29 points a game in his senior season at BYU, all while being the guy every team was scheming to stop. The phenomenon was triggered and trending. Like the scene after hanging 43 points on future NBA star Kawhi Leonard.

Fredette on Olympics

Now the man is dreaming of re-creating that aura at the Paris 2024 Games.

“I have been obsessed with the Olympics ever since I was three, four years old. I mean, I watch every Olympics and I watch every event. I’m locked in when the Olympics are on. From day until night, it’s always on at least one TV. So, to have an opportunity to be a part of that would be a dream come true for me literally.”

It would be the latest of many dreams that have come true for the Glens Falls, NY native.

Fredette in the NBA

The NBA career he worked so hard for, never panned out. He played for the Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, and Phoenix Suns over five NBA seasons.

“Sometimes things just don’t work out and it’s hard to really explain. I just wish I’d had more confidence, just gone out there and played my game and whatever happened, happened. I was trying to fit in too much, not make mistakes so I could stay on the floor, and that’s not the way to play. So, as I grew in my career I was like ‘alright, I just gotta be me again’ and that’s what made me be successful playing overseas.”

Several seasons in China and then Greece made Fredette rich, but many months away from his wife and growing family became unsustainable.

A last chance at the NBA came and went this summer when the rebuilding Utah Jazz thought about bringing Fredette in.

Instead, they opted to go younger and avoid any fan drama:

“We’ve talked with them quite a bit. There just hasn’t been a ton of interest, honestly. I get it, it’s hard in Utah, especially anything that associates with me. If they wanted to bring me in, they’d want to make sure they had a spot for me to actually play. Because if I wasn’t playing it could be a difficult situation for the coach, for the general manager. So, I understand it. We’ve had discussions with them but obviously nothing that’s led to me being a part of the Jazz. I know that people want it: it would be fun, but it just hasn’t been on the cards and that’s ok.”

Enter USA Basketball.

Last year, USA 3x3 basketball head coach Fran Fraschilla, tipped off by former BYU star and friend, Jonathan Tavernari, reached out to Fredette after believing a path to Paris 2024 might be the perfect thing to re-invigorate the American star:

“3x3 is perfect for Jimmer. He is still near the top of his game, is an intense competitor and wants to add to his brilliant resume, with hopefully a chance to play in the Olympics. It’s inspirational.”

USA basketball didn’t have to ask twice.

“Fran reached out and I said ‘absolutely’ for an opportunity to be able to try to qualify for the Olympics. It’s something I’ve dreamed about my entire life and obviously won’t be playing on the five-on-five team but to be able to play basketball at the Olympics representing team USA? This is an unbelievable opportunity so right from the get-go I’m like ‘Fran, I’m in’ whatever I need to do this is what I want to do.

"I want to dive into this and make the best out of it. It fits extremely well with my lifestyle and I’m unbelievably excited about it. It’s been kind of rejuvenating for me in a basketball sense which has been fun.”

It's a back to the future deal for him.

Before Fredette was a star in five-on-five basketball, he was all in on the halfcourt game.

“I grew up playing three-on-three basketball, outside with my friends and all in of those tournaments, Gus Macker’s, Hoop It Up, and had a great time. That’s where I learned how to play. And now to have it come full circle and have an opportunity to play for Team USA would be an incredible experience.”

While the USA may be the kings of the world court in 5 on 5 basketball, their men failed to qualify for the debut of Olympic 3x3 at Tokyo 2020 and the process to qualify for Paris 2024 is somewhat complicated.

“There’s a pool of players that they’ll pick, there’s a whole points system that goes into it. We want to qualify with an at-large bid, that’s what our goal is. Because what happened for Japan, they had to get into a qualifying tournament. Once you get into a qualifying tournament anything can happen, a team gets hot, they shoot the ball really well and all of a sudden, you’re out.

“This time we don’t want to leave it to chance or have it all go to one tournament so we want to get an at-large bid so that goes with having a lot of Team USA teams playing on the FIBA World Tour, which we should have three or four this year.”

Fredette says he’s committed to playing close to a full schedule on the FIBA 3x3 World Tour next summer, trying to pick up individual and Team USA points toward qualifying for Paris 2024.

And this hoops crusade will be a family affair.

Eldest daughter Wesley, son Taft and the latest Fredette is baby girl Greyson.

Fredette often tries to explain how cool all this ‘JimmerMania’ stuff was, wife Whitney keeps it real.

“My daughter (Wesley) is starting to get it a little bit when we go back to football games or basketball games cause people come up for pictures, autographs, they’re yelling and chanting my name, she’s like ‘why are they wanting to do this with you dad’? Mom’s like ‘he played basketball, whatever, no big deal’

"We’re trying to make sure they understand that I’m Dad, not just the basketball player. Just dad and a normal person.

“Obviously if I was able to win a gold medal in 3x3 in Paris that would be a fairy tale ending, to be able to go on that type of note. My wife Whitney, she’s all in too. ‘You need to get to the Paris Olympics. I want to go to Paris!’ I want to go to Paris, and I want to watch the Olympics. Both. Double whammy there!"

So…what’s the French translation for “JimmerMania”?