April 4, 2017

The Making of Jimmer’s Commercial…

Hi everyone,

Well I hope you all saw the “Outside the Lines” segment on Jimmer. I noticed that there is a 5 minute preview version on some of the social media sites, but that’s not the whole thing. The finished video was a little over 20 minutes. I know a lot of you could only find the 5 minute one but the longer version can be released 21 days after the airing of it on TV. So I will let everyone know when that happens.

Kudos to ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” crew. They did a fantastic job and we all loved it. It definitely captured the very essence of Jimmer. He’s a hard working, unassuming type kid, (well I call him a kid because I’m his mother) that loves God, loves his family, including his dog George, loves playing basketball and other sports, and loves hanging out with family and friends. Now he has another little one to hang out with….their little girl. It’s as simple as that. What you see is what you get with Jimmer. He’s never given up on his dream of playing in the NBA (which he did) and to continue to play professional basketball. There are two personality traits that Jimmer has which have gotten him to where he is, and it’s persistence and perseverance. His wife might call it stubbornness. He went through more than anyone knows during those first few years in the NBA, never once complaining to any of us, but kept his head up, worked hard and kept positive. He has never doubted his abilities. I know that he must have felt great frustration and disappointment…. but he kept going. Now he has captured a whole new HUGE audience that appreciates his talent for basketball and loves him for who he is….and he loves them in return. So what I would say to anyone that is getting close to their dreams of (whatever), and you feel like giving up….DON’T!!!… because you never know what is on the other side of that frustration.

So to finish up Jimmer’s experience in China for this year, I would like to talk about the making of the commercial that he did for the sporting good company called 361. My husband happened to be there watching the whole process so I can post some of the pictures and video that he took. Kind of blurry but, hey, he had just graduated from a flip phone to a smart phone and it was all new to him…. so I’ll cut him some slack. You did good Al.

He said they were there in a cold gym for about 9 hours. You can see by the pictures that no one took their heavy coats off except for Jimmer when they had to do a scene. They were very conscious of making sure Jimmer was warm and comfortable by putting a heater by him when he sat down and made sure he had a coat to wear at all times. Al also said that they had a lot of good food for them to eat during their breaks so they certainly didn’t go hungry. Very kind crew they were.

As I said last time when I talked about filming here at our home, it takes so much time for just a few seconds of footage, and it was the same here. They worked very hard all day and I think the actual commercial is about 15 seconds long…if that. Al said it was really interesting to see how it was made though. There were about 50-75 people there, some busy with their specific jobs and some just watching. At the end you will see a bunch of sparkling confetti blowing up behind Jimmer. There was one guy that had that job. He had a PVC pipe and filled it full of the confetti. Obviously he put something in the pipe that would shoot it out behind Jimmer like a small cannon to disperse it throughout the air.

Also what I thought was interesting was that they had a “stand in” for Jimmer so that he wouldn’t have to stand all day while they got the right camera angles and lighting and whatever. They actually hired someone to do that!!!…and I think they paid him pretty good money for it. Al got a chance to talk to the guy while he wasn’t busy being the stand in. He said he was from Norway or Sweden or some place like that. He was going to school over there in China and he would pick up odd jobs to make some money. He was an interesting guy with yet another accent (this time Norwegian) in the mix. They wanted someone of similar height, build and coloring so they could get everything right concerning Jimmer’s scenes. I’ll post a picture of him. Nice, happy guy Al said.

I got a kick out of how they all scooted across the room together to film Jimmer as he was dribbling the ball. It was soon after Jimmer had slightly injured his foot and it must have been a little tender for him to do those moves, but he was a trooper. It got done. It was an interesting and fun day for Al and Jimmer….but also a tiring one. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of waiting around, but it’s worth it in the end. They have a great commercial out now and it is playing over in China for 361.

A lot of people have asked about Jimmer’s signature shoe and when it’s coming out. He says that it won’t be out until next season and they are trying for it to be available in the USA somewhere but not at all sure about that. We will let everyone know when we find out. Maybe they will be available for Christmas this year. That would be nice.

Ok that’s it for today….thanks for stopping by. I’ll post some pictures, some video and the completed commercial at the bottom. Those of you that saw the 20 minute version of ‘Outside the Lines” yesterday saw the commercial already. These “behind the scenes” videos below show you that everything like this on TV seems so glamorous because the final product is so polished and perfect, but the work that goes into it, and the reality of it is not quite so glamorous. Check it out.

Until next time….see ya!

Kay

was on TV when Al was in China

his stand in…nice guy.

Jimmer’s initials

one of the nice coats from 361

March 1, 2017

MVP AND FIRST TIME FATHER ALL IN THE SAME WEEK!

Last Monday night, somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, a private plane soared through the night sky en route to the United States. On board that plane was a soon to be first time father who was anxiously awaiting touching down in Denver. This was the 3rd time in only a matter of weeks that this soon to be father had taken on the grueling task of traveling 6,696 miles from Shanghai, China to his home in Colorado. As he sat upon the beautiful aircraft gazing out over the sea, thoughts of fatherhood raced through his mind.

Fast forward. . . three days later, Jimmer (the soon to be father) and his wife Whitney, are now at the hospital anticipating their big moment. Meanwhile in Sacramento, my cell phone was on high alert as I eagerly awaited receiving the special announcement text, which could now come at anytime. As the night went on I received numerous texts, but not one of them was the one I was most hoping for. Then once two in the morning rolled around, I realized that little Wesley James was operating on her own time table.

Back in China, around the time that the sun was coming up in Denver, Jimmer’s Shanghai Sharks were just taking to the court to play their first CBA playoff game in years. Obviously when they took to that court, they did so without their leading scorer. When tip-off ensued, that leading scorer was all of the 6,600 miles away in Denver, now on only two hours sleep as he started worrying that the birth of his new baby girl might not take place before his flight back to China was due to depart. Jimmer was now facing the dilemma of choosing to miss his flight, and in doing so assuring that he would also miss his teams 2nd playoff game, or choosing to keep his flight, which would mean he would have flown all of the way from China, only to just miss the once in a lifetime birth of his first child. Hours later that decision was made even more difficult, when Jimmer received the news that his Sharks had just dropped game 1 of their first playoff series by 40 points. Game 2 was only a day and a half away. The Sharks needed Jimmer, and Jimmer knew it.

Not too long after the news of the Sharks loss hit home, I was rolling out of bed. Immediately I took to my phone, expecting some good news to be waiting for me – but still no word had come. The waiting game continued.

Eventually came 1:46 PM Denver time. That very minute is a time that will be etched in the brain of my little brother for the rest of his life. It was at exactly 1:46, when a man who had achieved many milestones in his life as a successful basketball player, had suddenly reached a new milestone – one that would undoubtedly dwarf any others that he had ever reached. This is a man who had broken the Glens Falls High School all time scoring record, the Section 2 all time scoring record, the BYU all time scoring record, the BYU single game scoring record, the Mountain West Conference single game scoring record. . . a man who he had lead the NCAA in scoring in 2011, won the John Wooden Award, won the Oscar Robertson award, won the James Naismith National College Player of the Year award, won an ESPY for the male athlete of the year award. . . a man who reached his ultimate dream by being drafted into the NBA in the 2011. . . a man who had achieved all of these prestigious accomplishments and many more. . . but even with all of these incredible successes under his belt, none of them could even come close to comparing to the feeling that he felt at 1:46 on this past Friday afternoon, when that man officially became a father. Just hours before Jimmer was set to fly back to China, Wesley James Fredette made her appearance into the world. This beautiful baby girl was born just one day before her father’s birthday. Holding his little daughter in his arms for the first time was an experience that Jimmer said was the greatest moment of his life. The 13 hour flight to be there for that monumental moment was nothing. If the flight was 100 hours, it would have been a very small price for Jimmer to pay to be there for what he later told us was an absolutely surreal experience. One that will live on in his memory forever.

When I finally personally received the text that I had been waiting to receive for over 24 hours, it was a thrilling moment, but also for me, a very hard concept to even grasp. My little brother… my once curly haired sidekick who had tagged along with my friends and I no matter where we went. . . my best little buddy who I used to bounce on the trampoline with in the backyard. . . my right hand man who was the water boy for every sports team I ever played on. . . my best friend, my main man who looked up to me as we grew up in that tiny little house in upstate New York. . . that same little guy is actually now a dad. It’s a testament to the fact that time stands still for no one, and with each passing second we are all closer to being greeted by life changing experiences. At 1:46 this past Friday, my little brother experienced one that he will cherish for the rest of his life. Congratulations Jimmer and Whitney! You guys are parents!

As for game 2 of the CBA playoffs, Jimmer and his team overcame a 15 point deficit to pull out an absolutely crucial overtime victory! Jimmer told me after the game he was exhausted, something anyone who knew what he had been through the past 48 hours completely expected. After only about 5 hours sleep in two days, combined with the emotion of seeing his daughter being brought into the world, plus another 13 hour flight on top of that, I had no illusions of Jimmer being a ball of energy on that court Sunday night. However, knowing what I know about my little bro, I had no doubt he was gonna fight through the fatigue – and that’s exactly what he did. He went on to score 39 points and grab 10 rebounds to help lead the Sharks to a season saving win. He willed himself to a big-time performance, including hitting what should have been a game winning basket with only 2 seconds left in regulation. If not for a heroic buzzer beater by the opposing team, that off balance shot off the glass that Jimmer sunk just prior, would have put the game away. Jimmer however got one more chance to be the hero, and this time, he didn’t leave anything to chance. He caught fire in overtime, hitting his signature 3’s from all over the court and putting the nail in the coffin with an against all odds outstanding performance. How he was able to dig deep and muster up enough energy to close out that game the way he did, is a question for the ages. Some might say it was adrenaline, some might say it was a second wind. . . me personally, I think it was inspiration. . . inspiration from a little girl named Wesley James Fredette.

The Shark’s series is now tied 1 to 1. The excitement of the CBA Play-offs is just getting started. Stay tuned to find out how the rest of this thrilling season unfolds!

Also some breaking news! As I was finishing up this blog I got word that today Jimmer was officially named the MVP of the CBA for this season!!! What a week it has been for my bro. Congratulations once again J!! Another milestone that someday uncle T can share with little Wesley!

Jimmer just born big sister Lindsay holding him

jimmer-holding-wesley-minutes-after-she-was-born-2017

Jimmer holding his daughter for the first time

Their dog George wondering who that is.

jimmer-holding-basketball tj_showing_jimmer_proper_shooting_technique1 jimmer-as-waterboy-for-tjs-team competition-on-the-trampoline snapshot-1-5-28-2014-10-41-pm tj-and-jimmer-in-park-in-sacramento

February 7, 2017

FROM CHINA TO DENVER – THE ONE CONSTANT FOR JIMMER

If the phrase, “time flies when you’re having fun,” has any merit, and I believe it does, then Jimmer’s trip home to Denver over Chinese New Year break must have felt like it was over within less than a nano second. I mean let’s face it, when you’re dealing with a 13 hour flight one way, the amount of hours you spend relaxing on your four day trip is literally almost equivalent to the amount of hours you spend in the air. Some might say that with that kind of flight to vacation time ratio, the long haul across the planet might not have even been worth the jet lag for Jimmer. However, I guess anyone who would say that, surely didn’t take into account exactly what Jimmer was going home for.

The drastic ups and downs of Jimmer’s roller coaster of a career could make the rides at Six Flags look like a slide at Chuck E. Cheese. The highs and lows can be overwhelming, and at times be very difficult to put into proper perspective. Fortunately for Jimmer, throughout it all, there has always been one crucial constant. Whether he was lighting it up at the Garden, sitting at the end of the bench in New Orleans, gazing out the window of his hotel room after a D League back to back in Des Moines, with 30 below winds whipping across the cornfields outside, or he was clear across the Pacific Ocean, hitting game winning free throws in Singapore in front of a crowd full of ecstatic non-English speaking fans, he’s always had that one constant to help him stay grounded. That one constant, is the exact thing that he was beyond thrilled to hop on a 13 hour flight last week to go see…. even if it was only for a short while. That one constant, is his family. His wife Whitney who he adores, and who is now carrying their first child due to be born in less than a month, and his picture perfect Golden Retriever named George, who lights up like a stadium every time Jimmer returns home. His family was there before the fame, during the fame, and will still be there when the fame is long gone. They’ve been there through his most challenging moments, to take on his struggles with him, and help lift him up when the pitfalls of an unforgiving spotlight tried to keep him down. They were there to celebrate with him, when the thrills of success were thrust upon him in abundance. They were there to help him make some of the toughest decisions he’s ever had to make in his life (well, maybe George had no part in the decision making process, but certainly Whitney). Those tough decisions include the decision to make a heartfelt sacrifice to leave his family behind and travel across the world to begin a new, exciting, but somewhat scary chapter of his career, in a country that he had never been to, and really knew nothing about. They were there through it all, and are there at this very moment, as his career in China begins to soar to heights we never knew would be possible on another continent. Knowing that they are there. . . there at home, waiting for him to return after months of being away. . . there on those days when it seems like everything on the court is going against him. . . there when a sports reporter paints a picture of negativity on the canvas of his career, there when he puts up 51 and leads his team to a big victory. . . but even more importantly, there when everything goes quiet, when the spotlight is no longer targeting his every step, when the critics no longer have him on their radar, and the fans have moved on to the next big thing. Those are the moments when Jimmer realizes more than ever, that he already has everything he needs. His wife, and his family…that is the one constant. They are what made 26 total hours on a plane for only a four day stay, way beyond worth it for Jimmer. They are always there, and that’s what keeps him grounded, and that’s what keeps him happy. . . no matter what.

…Now for a quick update on the Sharks. Coming off of the Chinese New Year Break, the Sharks were able to fight off a rusty start, to come back after being down 14 points to Qingdao, picking up another big victory and keeping their undefeated home streak alive. Jimmer lead the team with 37. Now the Sharks prepare for the last couple weeks of the regular season as they fight tooth and nail to enter the playoff picture as the number one seed. With some red hot teams out there neck and neck with the Sharks, such as Carlos Boozer and the Guangdong Southern Tigers, hanging on to that one seed will certainly be a challenge – but one I believe that Shanghai is up for! Stay tuned to see how the rest of this exciting regular season unfolds, as the CBA gears up for an intense, competitive playoff run!

Here are some pictures and a video of some of the beautiful sites in Shanghai.

This is why he traveled so far for only 4 days at home.

and baby makes 3… but 4 when you count George

back to work….

Beautiful sunset…they are 12 hours ahead of us normally but with the time change it’s 13 hours ahead now.

January 22, 2017

Jimmer back on the court, and giving back off the court

Jimmer was thrilled to make his return back to the court this past Friday night in Shanghai, where he came off the bench to drop 29 in the Sharks blowout of Fujian. After dropping two straight coming into All-Star break, Shanghai is now back on track, having won their last 5 straight. Last night I talked briefly with Jimmer to see how he was feeling after his first game back from the injury that sidelined him for the last two games. Much to my delight he assured me that his foot is getting better everyday and that it feels very close to being back to 100%! I’ll be sure to keep you all updated on his progress.

One of the great things about having a platform such as the one Jimmer has through his basketball success, is having the incredible opportunity to be able to make a big impact on people’s lives just by doing little things. This past week Jimmer was able to capitalize on a couple of those special opportunities, by putting on a one day clinic for some young basketball enthusiasts followed by giving an inspirational speech to some of the local Church youth. Jimmer is humbled by these fulfilling experiences and he is always so willing to generously give of his time. With all of the on-court accolades and successes, nothing is more important to Jimmer than the positive impact that he has been able to have off of the court.

This week Jimmer will have the opportunity to return home for 4 full days during the Chinese New Year break. He is thrilled to be able to go home and see his wife who is expecting their first child in March and his beloved Golden Retriever, George. After months of being away, this will be a special treat for Jimmer. When he returns it will be the final stretch of the season for him and the Sharks. Tune in to see the final push for a CBA title!

Below is some footage of an interview that Jimmer did in conjunction with his 361 sporting good company partnership and another one of him coming off the court of a game….compliments of my Father. Also check out some new gallery pictures on my homepage.

Thanks for stopping by.

Jimmer explaining techniques at clinic in Shanghai gym

My father and Jimmer running dribbling drills

BYU Jimmer fan in the crowd…

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Americans that knew this BYU term….

January 9, 2017

Recap on Jimmer’s All-Star weekend

Sunday night, with the spotlight shining brightly upon them, the superstars of the CBA put on a show for the wide-eyed Beijing crowd. The CBA All-Star weekend was well underway, and Jimmer was honored and excited to be a part of it. It turned out to be a really big weekend for Jimmer. In front of swarms of media, thousands of excited fans, and even some fellow former NBA colleagues, such as Stephon Marbury, Andre Blatch, and Marshon Brooks. . . Jimmer was able to capitalize on this wonderful opportunity.

He started out the weekend by unveiling his new shoe to the Chinese public as well as the world of social media. His shoe deal with 361 is now official, and for the rest of the season he will be sporting his sharp new shark blue sneakers. A lot of people have been asking us where they can get his shoe, and I promise as soon as that information is available we will be sure to make an immediate announcement!

Jimmer went on from unveiling his new shoe, to shooting his way into the finals of the 3-point shooting contest which was held Sunday night at halftime of the main event. If you haven’t heard by now, I’m proud to announce that Jimmer came away the 3-point king, winning the competition with a high of 22 points in the championship round! His 3-point prowess was on full display as he dazzled the crowd with a barrage of beyond the ark bombs, and in the end was rewarded with the CBA 3-point contest trophy.

From there Jimmer went on to have a very successful All-Star game, where he lead all scorers with a 32 point performance, knocking down a team high 6 treys. Unfortunately he fell just short of MVP honors due to his team losing a nail biter that went right down to the wire.

On the bright side however, during the All-Star game Jimmer was able record his first overseas dunk, rising up and throwing it down off of a steal that he got near half court in the 3rd quarter. His teammates rose up with smiles and excitement upon seeing Jimmer catch his first CBA jam. Even Marbury, who was on the opposing team, couldn’t help but run up to Jimmer with a big smile and give him a hug. At mid court Jimmer and Marbury, the former high school legend from Coney Island, who Jimmer had eagerly watched play in the Glens Falls Civic Center when he was only 7 years old, embraced with smiles as Steph said to him. . . “I didn’t know you could dunk?!” It was a special moment to cap off a very special weekend.

Jimmer said he had a wonderful time at the CBA All-Star festivities and he was shown a lot of love and support by coaches, players, media, and the fans. He enjoyed his time in Beijing, but now it’s back to business! The home-stretch of the season is now upon the Shanghai Sharks. Having lost 2 straight for the first time of the season coming into All-Star break, can they re-group and get back on the dominating track where they had been throughout most of the season? With a big target on their back, it won’t be easy. It will, without a doubt, be a tough fight to the finish for the Sharks as they continue to determinedly push forward on their quest for a CBA title. Stay tuned to see how the rest of this exciting season unfolds!

Here are some great behind the scene’s pictures of Jimmer this weekend, along with some footage of him catching his dunk courtesy of Jimmerwatch.

January 7, 2017

Jimmer’s All-Star CBA weekend

Here are some good behind the scenes shots of Jimmer at All-Star weekend in Beijing. Today he advanced to the finals of the three point competition which will be held tomorrow at halftime of the All-Star game. He’s had a great time so far hanging out with Stephon Marbury and other star players throughout the league. I will have more pictures and a full recap of the weekend by Monday so stay tuned!

friendly visit to a school….

Bejing air is tough….had to protect their lungs coming in to the school.

practicing in the gym before All Star Weekend begins…

All of the ALL- STARS 2016-2017 season

warming up on the court for the 3 point contest…

ready for his turn…my father must have had good seats to take this picture.

Nice arena….nice uniform

Jimmer’s up…

made it to the finals tomorrow night at half time during the game.

Shanghai Shark reps at the game…

Jimmer’s new signature shoe. He is debuting them here at the All Star game. He has partnered with a sporting goods company called 361.

If you want a Shanghai Sharks T shirt, go to http://www.kayz3.com

November 22, 2016 Gallery

MEETING BILL WALTON

Last week I mentioned that my brother recently had the opportunity to catch up with former Celtic great and NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton (who you can see in this picture that Jimmer recently sent me), decked out in his trademark tie dye tee-shirt as he stands next to Jimmer and his never hard to find 7 foot 3 inch teammate – who I know simply as Max. What I didn’t tell you about, was the unforgettable time when I myself had the opportunity to meet big Bill Walton in the tunnel at the old Arco Arena in Sacramento.

One of the many cool things about having a brother in the NBA is that when you go to the games, you get to enter the arena through the same tunnel that the players run through to take the floor. Never one to get star-struck myself, I grew pretty accustomed to walking shoulder to shoulder with some of basketball’s finest superstars such as Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant. In fact, when walking out of the tunnel to take my seat at these NBA games, I never knew who I might run into. Occasionally, celebrities ranging from Floyd Mayweather(who is a regular at NBA arena’s), to Drake, to Ben Stiller would stroll past me. My walks through the tunnel also would provide me with some pretty cool experiences, such as –
physically running into Russell Westbrook (who was very gracious, saying excuse me when he nearly ran me over in the hallway), to hanging out with MMA
star Urijah Faber, to even having a great conversation with New York City native and NBA strongman Ron Artest. However, with all of these really cool experiences that I was able to have in the tunnel, I would have to say that the coolest of these experiences, was the time that I met my man Bill Walton.

I remember when Jimmer was with the Kings, before one of his games I was chatting with one of the friendly security staff members at Arco Arena, when all of the sudden I heard this extremely familiar voice echoing throughout the tunnel. I turned around to see who it was, and right there standing in front of me was the legend himself – the one and only former Celtic superstar Big Bill Walton. He was coming up to shake the staff members hand whom I was speaking with, before taking to the court to call the game – as one of the Kings TV announcers. After the greeting, this staff member who I’d grown to know well, was gracious enough to introduce me to Bill. Upon hearing that I was TJ Fredette – Jimmer’s older brother – you would have thought that I was the celebrity with the way Bill excitedly reacted. Bill reached out, gave me a long firm hand shake and a smile, and said to me – “So this is the great older brother I keep hearing about.” I guess it’s fair to say I was very taken back by Bill’s reaction to meeting me. Here he is, One of the greatest NBA players of all time, a Hall of Famer, and a legend. . . and he was excited to meet me?!

We continued from there to have a great conversation for the next 15 minutes or so, until a Kings PR person had to come up and tell Bill, he’d better hurry and get to the court before the game started. Bill proceeded to talk to me for another 5 minutes – to the point where I almost felt inclined to remind him he needed to get out to the court and get ready for the broadcast.

Eventually Bill did break away and take his place behind the scores table to call the game. But all I could think of after my conversation with him was… what an amazing guy. Even with the great level of status and celebrity that he has in NBA circles, this man not only gracious enough to take the time to go out of his way to talk to me, but he also made sure that he showed a genuine interest in me as a person. He could have easily just said hi and went on his way – but he didn’t. Instead he showed me the type of respect and personal attention that made me feel like I was special. Now that really says a lot about Bill Walton as a human being in my eyes. If only we all treated the people we meet on a regular basis with that same positivity and respect, regardless of who they are and what they have accomplished in their life. I know that if we all did, this world would be such a better place.

Soon after I took my seat for the game that night, I received a text message from one of my friends who was watching the game back home. It turns out that Bill had also met the rest of my family that night in the tunnel, and when he took the air to call that game, one of the early statements that he made on air, was this – “I just had the opportunity of meeting Jimmer Fredette’s family including his older brother TJ in the back tunnel, and I must say – it was one of the greatest moments in my life. What a special family.”

Now I know that Bill was only joking when he said “it was one of the greatest moments in his life,” and it was certainly just said in fun, but the fact is, the man displayed incredible class with how he treated us, and he left my family and I with a wonderful memory – that we will surely never forget.

THAT BLOGGLES MY MIND…

Just my thoughts…

BYU alumni