Jimmer Fredette heard cheers. Then he heard boos, then cheers, then boos mixed in with cheers.
He must have been playing in Utah.
Fredette, who captured the attention of college basketball fans last season as a senior at Brigham Young University, brought Jimmermania back to the Beehive State on Saturday as a member of the Sacramento Kings. He received a standing ovation when introduced in the starting lineup, but the reception wasn't completely supportive — from the sound of the boos whenever Fredette touched the ball, there were a fair amount of University of Utah and Utah State fans in the building — but the former Cougar almost got the final say in his first game in Utah as a professional.
With the Kings trailing by two points with 4.2 seconds remaining, Fredette airballed a potential game-winning 3-pointer. While the Jazz collected the rebound, Fredette turned to the official to complain he had been fouled by C.J. Watson.
"I'm not going to say whether I got fouled or not," Fredette said, according to The Associated Press. "The ball didn't go in and we lost the game. It was a tough one."
Fredette's rookie season has progressed in fits and starts. He is averaging only 8.8 points per game but has averaged 16.5 points in his last four games. He finished with 14 points Saturday.
Photo of the day
It wasn't quite Jimmertime on Saturday night.
Quote of the day
"It's not like he derailed a promising UFC career. So it is what it is, but that was something I had to do as a teammate."
— White Sox manager Robin Ventura on the infamous headlock and skull-pounding he received from Nolan Ryan back in their playing days
Tweet of the day
That explains that.
Video of the day
What's so funny about… oh.
