Prediction: Jimmer Fredette will return to Cougars

Jimmer Fredette's silky jump shot and circus moves inside the key are a patented part of BYU basketball lore, right alongside the Danny Ainge Notre Dame drive, and Kresimir Cosic's galloping camel layups.

Has Fredette played his last college game and will he keep his name in the NBA draft as today's deadline arrives? Coach Dave Rose finds out today if BYU will have the services of Fredette after the junior All-American returned from an all-expenses paid workout with the New York Knicks on Friday, his fourth such outing. Rose told reporters this week he plans to meet with Fredette today and discuss his future.

Fredette declared for the draft just under a month ago and said he would not leave his name in the draft unless he had a solid promise written in concrete that an NBA team would take him in the first round.

A month ago, this seemed a long shot and his father, Al, told reporters he was 99 percent sure his son would return to Provo for his senior season. BYU has booked a Dec. 6 date to play Vermont in Glens Falls, N.Y., Fredette's hometown. If he turns professional, however, that non-conference game will be canceled, according to BYU assistant head coach Dave Rice.

A month ago, none of the mock NBA draft websites had Fredette going in the first round. That is still the case, although early draft predictions can be shuffled around after underclassmen like Fredette complete workouts with the league and more rumors drift around.

So far, NBA staff members with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, New Jersey Nets and Knicks have inspected Fredette in person.

Word is filtering down that these clubs liked what they saw.

But was it enough to use a first-round pick on Fredette? Before Fredette got sick with mono last December, right after he dropped 49 on Arizona, I thought he had a chance to go early and a team might take a chance drafting him high. But the rest of the Cougar season, although he had spectacular performances like the win at San Diego State and the barrage against TCU, he appeared about 85 percent of what he was in December.

While he looked invincible in an NCAA win against Florida, he struggled against Kansas State when the Big 12 defenders encircled him. He looked tired and struggled that weekend. I think his stock dipped.

His accuracy in the lane with his nifty scoring moves waned late this past season because he lost his first-step explosiveness and strength to finish.

He didn't elevate the same inside the key as he did against the UA Wildcats in the McKale Center.