Jimmer Fredette is hanging it up.
The BYU legend and former first round NBA draft selection has officially retired from basketball, he announced Wednesday in a social media post.
“Ever since I was young, I was obsessed with basketball,” Fredette wrote. “Seeing the basketball go in was magical. I wanted to play it every day. The game has taught me hard work, determination, and grit. Basketball has taken me all around the world: from Glens Falls, New York, to BYU, the NBA, China, Greece, and even Team USA at the Olympics!
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“This game and my love for it has shaped me into the person I am today and for that I am forever grateful. So many memories and amazing moments. It wasn’t always easy, but it was always worth it! The next journey starts now.”
Fredette starred at BYU from 2007-11, becoming a national sensation as a senior by averaging 28.9 points per game, earning consensus National Player of the Year honors and leading the Cougars to a Sweet 16 berth and No. 10 final AP poll ranking.
Over the course of his four seasons in Provo, Fredette scored 2,599 total points, shot 39.4% from 3-point range and was a three-time All-Mountain West First Team selection.
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He left BYU as the program’s all-time scoring leader and still holds the records for most points in a game and season, among numerous others.
Fredette was selected with the 10th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and was then promptly traded to the Sacramento Kings, where his initial presence boosted the franchise’s merchandise sales by 540%.
He ultimately played parts of three seasons in the NBA — with two and a half coming in Sacramento — and averaged 6.0 points across 241 games for the Kings, Bulls, Pelicans, Knicks and Suns.
Fredette found his greatest professional success overseas, becoming a superstar in the Chinese Basketball Association by averaging 34.2 points per game over four seasons with the Shanghai Sharks and capturing league International MVP honors in 2017.
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He also spent time playing professionally in Greece under head coach Rick Pitino.
BYU guard Jimmer Fredette (32) screams at a time out as BYU and Gonzaga play Saturday, March 19, 2011 in the third round of the NCAA Tournament at the Pepsi Center in Denver Colorado. BYU won 89-67(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News) | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
The twilight of Fredette’s career was spent in the world of FIBA 3×3 basketball, competing in a number of notable tournaments across the world and racking up awards such as USA Basketball’s 3×3 Male Athlete of the Year in 2023.
Fredette led Team USA to appear in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, where he entered the event as the top-ranked 3×3 men’s player in the world. However, he tore two ligaments in his adductor early in the tournament and would not return to the court.
In retiring, Fredette leaves a legacy as one of the most beloved and electrifying athletes in BYU history as well as one of college basketball’s all-time prolific scorers. He was inducted into the BYU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021.
