In defense of the Jimmer

[l Abach l]

I'm a U of U student. I am friends with many ANTI BYU sports fans but basically everyone in Utah that I know loves the jimmer... SO many of my friends who hate byu jumped on the jimmer bandwagon. I have no doubt that his fan base is very large outside of the BYU faithful (me being an example). He would surely be a financial boost to the team, leading them through this rebuilding process.

 

[freakazoid]

If they get lucky and he really does turn out to be a Steve Nash they will be thrilled. If they get unlucky and he can hardly get off the bench in a short career they still get an enormous repayment on their investment in a season where they desperately need it. On top of all this, a large percentage of their fans would be greatly disapointed if the Jazz passed on him, so drafting someone other than Jimmeny with their second pick would probably have a significant negative economic effect.

The biggest risk for this team isn't having one bad season. The real risk is having multiple bad seasons in a row. Making the right draft pick is a decision that can affect the team for a decade. Drafting someone else over Jimmer might piss off a few fans at first, but the bigger faux pas is passing on a player that goes on to become successful somewhere else, while your PR guy is playing insignificant minutes as a backup. I'm not saying that's what will happen with Jimmer, but it's a risk I don't think they'll take lightly.

If Utah has Jimmer ranked equally with another player, then I have no doubt they'll take him, but I'm not buying the argument that they'll pass on better prospects to sell a few more tickets short term.

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

First let me say that I am on the fence about Jimmer. I have not seen him play enough to have a highly informed opinion. I largely only know about him what I’ve read and in the two games I’ve actually seen him play. My feeling is that if he is the best person available that will help the Jazz, then I have no problem drafting him. On the other, hand if he is not the best player available, then I do have a problem drafting him, and I have a very large problem if they just draft him in this situation just to earn short-term PR brownie points from local fans or to boost ST attendance.

One thing to consider, however, is that this draft is a critically important one not only for the Jazz franchise but also for Kevin O’Connor. If he drafts Jimmer as some kind of ST PR move, or for whatever reason, and Jimmer does not pan out, he will take a large amount of criticism for this, and it might conceivably down the road even go as far as costing him his job. I’m not saying that he may be in trouble because he drafts Jimmer per se, but if he is perceived to have made a very large mistake on draft day and passed over what even in hindsight is considered a superior player that might have helped the franchise win more in favor of a local hero, then I think it’s not inconceivable that he could pay a high price for this. I’d bet that O’Connor is not going risk his career drafting Jimmer if he is not absolutely convinced Jimmer is the best player available that will help the Jazz over the long-term.

 

[franklin]

I'm a U of U student. I am friends with many ANTI BYU sports fans but basically everyone in Utah that I know loves the jimmer... SO many of my friends who hate byu jumped on the jimmer bandwagon. I have no doubt that his fan base is very large outside of the BYU faithful (me being an example). He would surely be a financial boost to the team, leading them through this rebuilding process.

The reverse happened with Alex Smith and Andrew Bogut. Utah and BYU fans hate the other team but root for the state regardless. Were any blue rooting for Alabama?

 

[jazzrule]

Found this on a discussion board. Some mocks have Kemba rated top 6 in the draft. With this information in hand, would it be to illogical for the Jazz to take Jimmer at 12? Yeah I know Kemba played in a tougher conference, but I bet he didn't have near the defensive plans thrown at him as Jimmer did. Just saying...............

Jimmer had games of 52,47,43,42 this year, games of 49,45,41 last year. I've never once seen Irving, Williams, Kemba (more than once) eclipse the 40 mark. It's fact that Jimmer shoots more shots per game than Kemba, not by a lot, but he does, and he still has a better fg pct, 3pt pct, and ft pct while getting the same amount of assists a game than Kemba. 6'2 195 to Kembas 5'10 172. Jimmer scores more than Kemba, shoots more accurately than Kemba from 3, 2, and FT, gets the same amount of assists as Kemba, and is taller and stronger. The best PG's in NBA history are John Stockton and Steve Nash. Jimmer has that body type. Fans expect players to be a finished product as a rookie when they get picked, when in reality, no player is. Rose couldn't shoot jumpers or the 3, now he can and he's the MVP. Gordan Hayward couldn't play a lick of D most of the season, and yet played lockdown D on Kobe at the end of the season. Jimmer will acquire defensive skills. That's his only weakness as a PG. He knows it and his work ethic is very good so undoubtedly he'll get better and improve that weakness til it's a strength.

 

[Joe Bagadonuts]

First let me say that I am on the fence about Jimmer. I have not seen him play enough to have a highly informed opinion. I largely only know about him what I’ve read and in the two games I’ve actually seen him play. My feeling is that if he is the best person available that will help the Jazz, then I have no problem drafting him. On the other, hand if he is not the best player available, then I do have a problem drafting him, and I have a very large problem if they just draft him in this situation just to earn short-term PR brownie points from local fans or to boost ST attendance.

One thing to consider, however, is that this draft is a critically important one not only for the Jazz franchise but also for Kevin O’Connor. If he drafts Jimmer as some kind of ST PR move, or for whatever reason, and Jimmer does not pan out, he will take a large amount of criticism for this, and it might conceivably down the road even go as far as costing him his job. I’m not saying that he may be in trouble because he drafts Jimmer per se, but if he is perceived to have made a very large mistake on draft day and passed over what even in hindsight is considered a superior player that might have helped the franchise win more in favor of a local hero, then I think it’s not inconceivable that he could pay a high price for this. I’d bet that O’Connor is not going risk his career drafting Jimmer if he is not absolutely convinced Jimmer is the best player available that will help the Jazz over the long-term.

If KOC doesn't draft James that will be a very gutsy move. The biggest Ferdetter hater on this board knows that there's a chance this guy will be great. He's clearly got competitive fire, he's smart, and he has all sorts of intangibles. Stockton and Miles both prove, in opposite ways, that physical tools are not the most important variable in the equation that results in NBA success. Gayle wants Ferdetter, so if KOC finds himself looking at James and several other guys who he has rated just a bit higher, he's going to take James. Just imagine what happens to KOCs career if he passes on James only to see him blow up elsewhere. I believe that for KOC the risk in not taking this guy is bigger than the risk in taking him. I wouldn't be surprised if KOC lies in bed at night hoping some other team will grab James prior to the Jazz's second pick.

 

[freakazoid]

Just imagine what happens to KOCs career if he passes on James only to see him blow up elsewhere.

Sure, but this goes both ways. Just because Jimmer's a local favorite, doesn't mean KOC will get a pass if he takes Jimmer and it doesn't work out.

I wouldn't be surprised if KOC lies in bed at night hoping some other team will grab James prior to the Jazz's second pick.

Maybe, but it's not like it would be the first time fans were unhappy with a draft pick. I don't think we have a FO that is going to let the fans decide who the pick should be. KOC will have everbody ranked by the time draft day comes around, and I have no doubt Miller will be well aware of what they're looking at. Then it's just a matter of BPA to fall to their pick. Even if they have Jimmer ranked equally with other players, they'll still have a good idea of what they're going to do in each scenario.

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

If KOC doesn't draft James that will be a very gutsy move. The biggest Ferdetter hater on this board knows that there's a chance this guy will be great. He's clearly got competitive fire, he's smart, and he has all sorts of intangibles. Stockton and Miles both prove, in opposite ways, that physical tools are not the most important variable in the equation that results in NBA success. Gayle wants Ferdetter, so if KOC finds himself looking at James and several other guys who he has rated just a bit higher, he's going to take James. Just imagine what happens to KOCs career if he passes on James only to see him blow up elsewhere. I believe that for KOC the risk in not taking this guy is bigger than the risk in taking him. I wouldn't be surprised if KOC lies in bed at night hoping some other team will grab James prior to the Jazz's second pick.

I don't know, I see it from a diff perspective. I think the risk drafting Jimmer to KOC exceeds the risk not drafting him. There are so many question marks about him that if it's perceived he passed up someone with fewer question marks, I think he'll get more a pass if it goes sideways than if he takes the hometown hero who's such a big question mark over other lower risk players and it goes sideways. Who really knows though? In the end, I just want them to select the BPA, whoever it is.