Jimmer Fredette announced his retirement from basketball earlier this month, as the former BYU star had a professional career that spanned the NBA, CBA in China and USA Basketball’s 3×3 team.
While he may be done playing, Fredette is staying in the basketball world for his first post-retirement gig as the first managing director of USA Basketball’s men’s 3×3 national team.
“When I got the call from USA Basketball about playing 3×3, I really didn’t know what to expect,” Fredette said in a release. “I found out quickly that I loved the competition, energy and style of the sport. 3×3 fits my game and my personality. I made friends throughout my journey who will forever be a part of my life. I also saw an opportunity to be able to grow the sport within the USA.
“When USA Basketball approached me about this role, I jumped at it. I’m determined to help build a sustainable program for years to come and, ultimately, the best 3×3 program in the world. I’m so grateful for the USA Basketball Board of Directors for trusting me with this responsibility and I’m ready for the challenge.”
Fredette was part of the first USA Basketball 3×3 team to compete in the Olympics, joining the team in 2022 to help lead its qualifying efforts for the Paris Games. The team drew some criticism from fans after finishing seventh (out of eight teams), which is not exactly on par with the expectations for USA Basketball as a whole.
The challenge for the 3×3 team is building a team without NBA stars, as the players have to be available for the FIBA World Cup and various other tournaments throughout the year. That has proven to be difficult thus far, as the team of Fredette, Canyon Barry, Kareem Maddox and Dylan Travis did not fare well in Paris — although they did win the silver medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
After playing on the team for three years, Fredette should have a firsthand understanding of what skillsets the team needs to have on its four-man roster to challenge with the best teams in the world. With the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, his task over the next three years will be to put those ideas into action and build a team that can compete for gold in L.A. in front of the home crowd.
