NBA Draft 2011: Why the Washington Wizards Should Draft Jimmer Fredette

I am writing this letter regarding tonight’s NBA draft. You have two first-round picks and a third pick early in the second round, if I’m not mistaken. Besides the fact that I have to look at that despicable updated red, white and blue Wizards logo on the draft board, I think that this year could turn out to be a success. 

That is, if you draft Jimmer Fredette.

I know that recent draft history around here has yielded disappointment levels on par with the XFL in 2001.  That year, 2001, sounds hauntingly familiar—that’s right, it was the same year you drafted Kwame Brown. Hard to say which was a bigger bust.

I know I know, the team is now under different ownership and management and is heading in a new direction. The Redskins are under new management, and courtesy of Mike Shanahan, Albert Haynesworth, Donovan McNabb, Bruce Allen and others, they are still the lead story in the “Stupid NFL News” section.

A good way to not go down the burgundy and gold bricked road and a remedy for your recent blues could be the drafting of the greatest one-name wonder since Roseanne: Jimmer Fredette.

Jimmer can shoot, Jimmer can score, Jimmer can win (although you all would do everything you could to change that) and most of all, Jimmer can sell tickets.

People are probably thinking “sell tickets? We don’t want a side show here.” Well too bad.  Blatche is a side show, McGee is a sideshow and in my opinion, Jimmer could be the main event. Selling more tickets can’t be seen as a bad thing, as it only puts more money in the coffers to go after more big-name free agents down the road.

Furthermore, have you all looked at the talent around the top of the draft? Take away Kyrie Irving and possibly Derrick Williams and you have no shoo-ins at the pro-level.

Kawhi Leonard's name has been kicked around a lot because of his ability to play D and rebound; sadly enough though, the guy can’t shoot for his lunch. That’s all John Wall needs as a point guard—a brick-laying tough guy to pass the rock off to. Don’t we already have Trevor Booker to miss shots and grab rebounds? Need more missed shots? Then I present to you Jordan Crawford.

Then there is the Enes Kanter option. You have expressed your desire for a big man since you just don’t seem to be able to communicate with a man who goaltends more points for the other team than he scores for his own (McGee). 

The need for a big man aside, I don’t trust Kanter based solely on the fact that he wanted to play in D.C. That should raise suspicion in any Wizards fan from the get-go. Not only that, but how reliable is it to draft Europeans? For every Dirk Nowitzki there are 10 Oleksiy Pecherov’s just waiting to get drafted, slow down your offense, relax on defense and eat up serious bench minutes.

The fact is that the NBA is still a game that favors the most athletic as well as the most intelligent players in a fast-paced transitional manner. Europeans live and die by their shot, and if they can’t get their own shot or it stops falling, then it's goodbye USA.

Jimmer won’t have any problem with shooting.  He also hustles like crazy, has enough size at 6’2” 190 lbs to match up fairly well with other point guards in the league, and can knock down transitional jump shots as well as convert John Walls passes into points without equal. Want to knock his defense?  Go ahead, half of the NBA doesn’t play defense anyhow, he’s in good company.

Don’t let people tell you that because Jimmer is slightly undersized, slow, and weak on defense that he won’t pan out in the NBA.  Remind you of another mountain west star who people said wouldn’t pan out in the NBA because he was slow, couldn’t play defense and wasn’t worth a first round pick?

I’m not saying that Jimmer is John Stockton, but closing the book on Jimmer as a pro before he even steps on an NBA court is pure stupidity.  So many fans are addicted to size and hops that they forget that there is still a place for a knock-down shooter in the NBA.  There was for Steve Kerr, there was for Reggie Miller, and there will be for Jimmer.  Not only that, but Jimmer is athletic and can get up and down the court with the best of them.  As long as he can average over ten points a game he will be right on par with all other No. 6 overall picks.