The Problem With Jimmer

While I've yet to witness a game for myself, I have heard plenty about the lousy play of last year's National Player of the Year Jimmer Fredette. For many, it's a little hard to believe that that same guy we were screaming at last year to "SHOOT IT!" when 35 feet out from the basket, is having such a miserable time finding success in the NBA.

So what's Jimmer's problem? Why such a drop off after one of the most prolific college careers in NCAA history? The ball is still 29.5 inches around, the basket is still 10 feet tall, and from what we witnessed last year, a 3 foot increase in 3-point distance really shouldn't be too big of a deal for Fredette. Many will cite the substantial increase in the quality of athleticism and skill when moving from college to the pros as the cause of Fredette's NBA woes. While I do find some validity in this opinion, I do not find it to be the entirety of Jimmer's problem, not even the majority. Rather, I find that what gave Jimmer his past success has now become the cause of his present plague. Amazing what a change in perspective can do.

While at BYU, Jimmer was the man. It was his team and he knew it. The confidence that came from this perspective allowed him to meet, and even far exceed, the expectations had of him. The confidence that came from this perspective allowed him to square up 30 feet from the basket, let it fly, and watch it go in.....over and over and over and over again. And now today, it is the lack of this confidence and change in perspective that has created his less than stellar statistics and a barrage of negative criticism.

Like Jimmer, the expectations had of us are high, we have a lot to live up to and our perspective can make all the difference.

Do we remember that we are children of a Heavenly Father who loves, who works daily to prepare us for success(moses 1:39) and who's only goal and intent for us happiness if we so choose it? Our literal purpose is to experience joy, to grow, and to succeed!(2 nephi 2:25) God has promised it and it is up to us to take him up on it. There's power in perspective and a confidence that comes into our lives when we truly understand who we are and what we can become.