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PARIS — The first sign that the U.S. men’s 3×3 national team would be without Jimmer Fredette on Thursday against Lithuania came during player introductions.
When the announcer announced Fredette, the American star slowly and carefully stumbled out of the tunnel.
Fredette remained glued to a folding chair for the entirety of his team’s 20-18 loss to Lithuania, helplessly watching the U.S. fall 0-3 in the group stage of the Paris Olympics. He described himself as “going from game to game” with a left leg injury after the match, but declined to comment further.
Fredette suffered the injury with about three minutes remaining in the U.S. loss to Poland on Wednesday night. A trainer massaged Fredette’s left thigh as the former BYU star visibly winced in pain.
Although Fredette returned to action against Poland on Wednesday, the 35-year-old wasn’t moving as he normally would. USA Basketball didn’t provide an update on his condition after the game, but teammate Kareem Maddox told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday night that he wasn’t “overly concerned.”
“I guarantee you he’ll play tomorrow,” Maddox added.
It turned out that Maddox was too optimistic. All Fredette could do against Lithuania was play diagrams and encourage his teammates.
Other U.S. players learned during a team meeting Thursday afternoon that Fredette was not healthy enough to play with them that night. No one would give more details about Fredette’s injury, but teammate Dylan Travis described an “emotional scene.
“We all shed a few tears,” Travis said. “He’s worked his whole career and come out of retirement to do this.”
When asked if he was preparing as if Fredette would not return for the Olympics, Travis said, “Yeah, I think you have to prepare as if it were the three of us and hope for the best that he comes back.”
Fredette’s injury is the latest blow to USA Basketball’s faltering 3×3 program. The women also lost their first three games before beating Spain 17-11 on Thursday.
The U.S. men came into Paris as one of the favorites to win the 3×3 gold medal in Paris, but the Americans may have a tough time even getting out of the group stage without Fredette. Not only was he their best player and offensive engine during Olympic qualifying, his absence leaves the U.S. without replacements and forces Canyon’s Barry, Travis and Maddox to play every minute.
Two summers ago, when USA Basketball’s Fran Fraschilla approached Fredette about playing 3×3 basketball, he accepted for one major reason. “As soon as I heard ‘Olympics,’ I was like, ‘I’m going to go for it,'” Fredette said earlier this summer. “I saw this as the opportunity of a lifetime.”
The long-awaited Jimmermania revival tour, however, failed to come to fruition. The former BYU folk hero scored just four points in the U.S.’s opening loss to Serbia on Tuesday night, then had three points against Poland on Wednesday.
Without Fredette against Lithuania, the U.S. attacked the rim and leaned on Barry to create more plays. Barry led the U.S. with nine points, but his potential game-tying step-back jumper from behind the arc fell short as time expired, a fitting end for a U.S. team that has consistently failed from afar in Paris.
“I had a clean look,” Barry said. “I honestly thought it was good when it left my hand.”
The US lost again on Thursday night, against Latvia (21-19), leaving Fredette sidelined again.
“He’s like family to us,” Barry said. “When one of your family members is hurting and down, everyone is down.
“He deserves this more than anyone. He’s such a good person. For him not to be able to compete in the game today after everything he’s put into it is really sad.”
