Fredette
Jimmer Fredette offers the ball to Mark Gonzales of Saratoga Springs, Utah, during a shoot-around activity as part of day three of RootsTech in the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Photo by Brian Nicholson, courtesy of Church News. Copyright 2024 Deseret News Publishing Company.This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.
By Christine Rappleye, Church News
Jimmer Fredette is going to the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer as part of the USA Basketball 3-on-3 men’s national team. It’s the first time the U.S. has sent a men’s 3-on-3 team to the Olympics.
He was one of four players named to the team on Tuesday, March 26, USA Basketball announced. Joining Fredette are teammates Canyon Barry, Kareem Maddox and Dylan Travis. The roster was selected by the USA Basketball 3-on-3 Men’s National Team Committee.
“It’s official! I have been selected to be a member of team USA’s first Olympic 3-on-3 basketball team along side three other players I consider family in Dylan, Canyon, and Kareem. There has been a lot that has gone into this process for a year and a half now for me and many more years for my teammates. So grateful to be able to represent our country in Paris! Now the real work begins. Couldn’t be more thrilled to prepare and give it my all for USA!” Fredette, a former BYU basketball star with several years of professional experience and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shared on Instagram.
He was named college basketball’s Player of the Year following his senior season of “Jimmermania” at BYU. He was a lottery pick in the 2011 NBA draft and became an international superstar in China. He is now competing in the world of 3-on-3 professional basketball and was named the USA Basketball’s 2023 3x3 Male Athlete of the Year in 2023.
The squad has been competing together with USA Basketball since the 2022 FIBA 3-on-3 Men’s AmeriCup, where it won gold. It also won the gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games and silver at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup. It is currently No. 2 in the world rankings, behind Serbia, according to the Associated Press.
Fredette and his wife, Whitney Fredette, recently presented about preserving memories on FamilySearch during the RootsTech 2024 family history conference. Jimmer Fredette also shot baskets and offered tips to young children.
Copyright 2024 Deseret News Publishing Company.