Ainge or Fredette? Tough to compare the 2 stars

It is inevitable at this stage of Jimmer Fredette's career that some make comparisons to the Great One who preceded him, the retired-jersey BYU star Danny Ainge.

Today is Fredette's final game of the season in the Marriott Center, where the Cougars host New Mexico in a colossal showdown.

Comparing Fredette to Ainge? First of all, it's tough to do, it's apples and oranges. These are two different kinds of players from contrasting eras where the shot clock and three-point line worked for one but never did for the other.

It's Charlie Daniels and Elton John. A fiddle and piano.

Ainge was a shooting guard; Fredette is a prototype point guard.

Ainge is hands down the better athlete. He was more physical, faster and a better jumper; taller by two inches, he had a longer reach. Ainge may be the only high school athlete to ever receive All-America honors in three sports (football, basketball and baseball.) He was a Parade All-American in basketball as a junior and has always been close to a scratch golfer.

Here's the quick review: Ainge was a drafted baseball player who played in the Majors. As an NBA player, he had a role with the Celtics in the heyday of Boston and Larry Bird. He was also the College Player of the Year (John Wooden Award).

Fredette, while yet to take BYU to an Elite Eight like Ainge did, is a major cornerstone in the winningest seasons in BYU history.

Ainge was a better defender but Fredette is a more creative dribbler with greater control in creating space and getting his shot off the dribble. Both are very good mid-range shooters who draw fouls. On the drive, Ainge didn't dally but dived at the hoop. Fredette is more imaginative with the ball in traffic.

Ainge's coach, Frank Arnold, told me Friday that Ainge (and Fredette) have mastered the lost art of the mid-range shot where they can draw fouls and live at the line.

"Danny could drive full speed and stop on a dime, pull up and shoot and because of that he'd get fouled a lot. I remember against UCLA, he made more free throws than the entire UCLA team combined," said Arnold.

Ainge and Fredette, Arnold believes, are book smart and court smart.

"I've always thought there was a correlation between the two," Arnold said.