Former BYU star guard Jimmer Fredette’s NBA career certainly hasn’t been worthy of him being selected 10th overall in the 2011 NBA draft, a topic delved into in a piece by Basketball Insiders’ Alex Kennedy.

Kennedy focuses on Fredette’s shooting struggles and challenges on defense as reasons his career hasn’t launched.

“This is the first year of Fredette’s career in which he’s made less than $2 million (since he was on his rookie-scale contract), but that kind of sums up how his career has gone to this point,” Kennedy writes, noting the one-year, $947,246 partially guaranteed contract Fredette signed with the San Antonio Spurs last month. “While other players from his draft class are producing and earning more each season, his numbers and salary are decreasing.”

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In Kennedy’s view, if Fredette’s career is going to be revived, San Antonio is a great place for it to happen, as head coach Gregg Popovich and his staff have become well-known for turning also-rans into solid contributors.

“If he does struggle once again this season, he may be relegated to either playing overseas or trying to make a team via a 10-day contract or training camp deal going forward,” Kennedy writes. “There are quite a few people in NBA circles who believe that Fredette simply isn’t an NBA-caliber player. His name and the hope that he still has some untapped potential has given him a number of opportunities, but he’s running out of opportunities to prove himself.”

Whittingham goes on 'The Jim Rome Show'

Kyle Whittingham and the University of Utah football program have become somewhat notorious for restricting media access at practices, but the Utes’ head man took to the national airwaves Thursday as a guest on "The Jim Rome Show."

Whittingham discussed many of the topics that are key storylines heading into the 2015 campaign, such as the season opener against Michigan, what he expects from players like Devontae Booker and Travis Wilson and “Sack Lake City,” the potentially scary defensive front.

One item of levity he also delved into was the satin red helmets unveiled Wednesday that the team will wear against the Wolverines.

“Personally, I don’t care about uniforms, helmets, all that stuff,” he said. “It’s a non-factor to me, but if it gets your players juiced up, that’s a good thing, and they were excited when we broke those out yesterday.”

Merlin Olsen, Gordon Hudson named to anniversary All-America team

The Football Writers Association of America released Thursday its 75th Anniversary All-America team, and two players who suited up in the Beehive State appeared.

Former Utah State lineman Merlin Olsen made the second team at a defensive tackle spot, while former BYU tight end Gordon Hudson made the third team.

Olsen was an All-American his junior and senior seasons with the Aggies during a career that spanned from 1959-1961. As a senior, he won the Outland Trophy, given to the nation’s best interior defensive lineman.

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He went on to play 15 years in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams, 14 of which saw him go to the Pro Bowl. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.

A native of Logan, Olsen died in California in 2010 at the age of 69.

As for Hudson, he was a consensus All-American in 1982 and 1983. He played two years in the United States Football League and one year in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks.

Ryan McDonald is a sports reporter at DeseretNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanwmcdonald.

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