Jimmer Fredette, the 2011 AP men’s college basketball player of the year from BYU and an NBA lottery pick, has announced his retirement from basketball. At 36, Fredette was the 10th overall selection in the 2011 draft by Milwaukee, playing in the NBA for six seasons with teams including Sacramento, New Orleans, Chicago, Phoenix, and New York, as well as professionally abroad in China and Greece, where he received the MVP title in the Chinese Basketball Association in 2017.

Fredette, originally from Glens Falls, NY, had remarkable performances in China, including games where he scored 70 and 75 points, with one instance of 60 points after halftime. During his college career, he led the nation with an average of 28.9 points per game, securing the AP Player of the Year award in the 2010-11 season. In 2023, he earned the title of USA Basketball’s 3x3 male athlete of the year.

“Basketball has taken me all around this world: from Glens Falls NY, to BYU, the NBA, China, Greece, and even Team USA at the Olympics! This game and my love for it has shaped me into the person I am today and for that I am forever grateful. So many memories and amazing moments. It wasn’t always easy, but it was always worth it! The next journey starts now.”

Fredette turned to 3x3 basketball in his later years, achieving significant victories for the U.S., including gold medals at the 2022 FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup and the 2023 Pan American Games, and a silver medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He entered the Paris Olympics as the world’s top-ranked 3x3 men’s player but encountered a setback with an adductor injury early in the competition, affecting his team.

“I owe a lot of who I am today to this game and it’s not easy to say goodbye as a player, but the time has come.”