Jimmer Fredette got his first NBA Draft workout against a top-flight point guard prospect -- Kemba Walker, in this case -- on Wednesday in front of the Utah Jazz. The early reports suggest Fredette may have come out ahead.
Jimmer Fredette Wows In Jazz NBA Draft Workout Also Featuring Kemba Walker
The Salt Lake Tribune's Brian T. Smith reports that the other four players in the workout all said Fredette held his own against Walker, even defensively, which is seen as the BYU star's major weakness. Walker has been slated to go no lower than No. 8 (Detroit Pistons); Fredette's ceiling is No. 7 (Sacramento Kings) but most mocks (ours included) list him at No. 12 (Jazz) or lower.
The question is how Fredette’s rise will affect the Jazz’s No. 3 pick. Many mock drafts have Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight landing there; the 18-year-old will visit Utah on Thursday, having elected not to compete against Walker and Fredette on Wednesday. There’s no sensible fit for Fredette between No. 8 and the Jazz’s No. 12, so if the Kings skip Fredette at No. 7, Utah would have a really good chance to pick him at No. 12.
By passing on Knight at No. 3, the Jazz would reasonably assure either Knight or Walker would be there for the taking at No. 7; the Kings are said to love Knight, and they saw Walker on Monday. It’s a complicated calculus that surely won’t be settled until closer to the June 23 draft.
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