Jimmer Fredette on signing with Spurs: 'Wasn't expecting this opportunity at all'

With the perception he was a bust as the No. 10 pick, and having bounced between three teams in his four NBA seasons, Jimmer Fredette could be forgiven for entering unrestricted free agency uncertain about his prospects.

But Fredette didn't linger on the market too long, agreeing to a deal with the San Antonio Spurs on July 22. That contract - a reported one-year pact that guarantees Fredette a shade over $500,000 - and the call that preceded it caught the former BYU standout off-guard. As Fredette told Dick Harmon from the Deseret News:

It's an awesome opportunity. When I got the phone call, I wasn't expecting this opportunity at all. It is something I'm grateful they offered me and it showed they want me on the team. They don't offer people for no reason. They see a type of guy they want and they go after (him) and I'm glad I'm their type of guy.

The Spurs almost surely saw one thing in Fredette they were excited about: his shooting. Despite disappointing overall production in his career, the 26-year-old owns a 38.1 percent career mark from 3-point range, a number that could be expected to push even higher with the open looks he's likely to receive as a relative afterthought in the Spurs' offense.

If San Antonio can turn Fredette into a productive rotation player, it wouldn't be the first time they turned a seemingly one-dimensional player or retread into a useful piece.

Fredette has averaged 6.1 points and 1.4 assists in 13.7 minutes over 229 games, but his production has decreased each season. He currently pencils in as the Spurs' third-string shooting guard, possibly with spot-minutes at the point, even though he's proven to not be a particularly effective playmaker. That could be the low-stakes role that allows him to forget his lottery-pick status and thrive as a deadly outside threat.