Jimmer Fredette and the Phoenix Suns came to town and everyone’s REAL UPSET.

The Utah Jazz are winding down the 2018 – 2019 season with a schedule equivalent to a nice downhill coast on your favorite bike. Part of that schedule included a game against the tanking Phoenix Suns and their newest signee, former BYU star Jimmer Fredette.

Fredette recently returned to the NBA after two years playing professionally in China for the Yao Ming-owned Shanghai Sharks. In just his second game with the Phoenix Suns, the former international star found himself near his old stomping grounds in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Jimmer finally entered the game to start the second quarter. The crowd, obviously filled with BYU fans who made the 35 minute drive to the arena, gave the former local a standing ovation. The crowd would go on to cheer each and every time he touched the basketball.

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Jimmer’s Time in Utah

In case any of you have forgotten, these were the guy’s numbers/highlights while he was a senior at Brigham Young University:

Now, while I know many of you were on the red side of things during this time, you still have to admit this is some exciting stuff. If the dude had come from your school, you’d still be cheering for him too.

Or not. I guess we’ll find out Wednesday when former University of Utah star Kyle Kuzma returns…

Mannnnnn I better get the same reception Ute fans this is amazing 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

— kuz (@kylekuzma) March 26, 2019

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Utah Jazz Fans at Vivint Smart Home Arena React Live to Jimmer Fredette

Like I said before, if you were alive and in Utah in 2010 or 2011, you had to give the guy some respect. Apparently this respect has lasted, however, as the crowd reacted like this basically any time Fredette touched the ball:

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Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns Players React to Jimmer Fredette’s Warm Welcome

Here’s what the guys on the floor had to say:

Donovan on the Jimmer-loving crowd: "I was so confused today. … It just shows the passion of the fans in Utah. I told Ricky, 'This man played college basketball. He didn't do anything else but play college basketball and they love him.' That’s awesome."

— Ryan Miller (@millerjryan) March 26, 2019

Three Jazz players react to Jimmermania. pic.twitter.com/rPa5fB0Vjv

— David James (@DavidDJJames) March 26, 2019

Kyle Korver, on Jimmer: "Good for him. He’s got such a story. His basketball story is filled with ups and downs, some good and some tough. I just really respect that he keeps on battling. It’s good to see him back out there again. … He's gonna have fans here for generations." pic.twitter.com/xiB6S8mWCo

— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) March 26, 2019

Devin Booker on Jimmer pic.twitter.com/8ISVvWAI5f

— JP Chunga (@JP_Chunga) March 26, 2019

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Utah Jazz Fans React to Jimmer Fredette on Twitter

People weren’t happy and also feeling themselves PRETTY hard…

Just tell me – would you honestly not have cheered your heart out for rudy the football player – if you knew his story – but he played against you in a game that was out of reach?

— Jazz Jams & Jammies (@Bud66498179) March 26, 2019

Best part of Jimmer being back in the NBA is how salty it makes some people 😂😂

— Jazzy Keegs (@Kwjazzman) March 25, 2019

You don't seem to get the point. No one is arguing about him getting cheered. It's just he was cheered excessively. It was pathetic. BYU fans seem to have this whole "Glory days" type of mentality that is just embarrassing. The fact that Jimmer was cheered that much is annoying.

— A. cavaleiro (@aknight292) March 27, 2019

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Why do Utah Jazz Fans love Jimmer Fredette so much?

I’ll do my best to explain it below…

Jimmer Fredette poses zero threat to the Utah Jazz

Everyone’s getting all mad that we cheered so loud for the guy. The team was up by 30 and the game was getting unwatchable. If it’s a two-point game, I’ll make sure you feel my support, Jazz players. But when you’re already planning your postgame meal in the third quarter, let me cheer for my guy.

Jimmer is All of Us

Jimmer is a six-foot unathletic white guy who absolutely and unequivocally dominated college basketball while playing for a disadvantaged Brigham Young University team. The things he was able to do while going up against the likes of Kawhi Leonard and other future NBA stars is almost unbelievable.

Jazz Nation Identifies with Perpetual Underdogs

The Utah Jazz are perpetual underdogs. Nobody around the leagues cares if we succeed. We’re just a small market nobody who always has to fight for the attention we so rightly deserve. Jimmer Fredette is the same.

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What did this whole thing tell us about the Utah Jazz?

In conclusion, I believe our biggest takeaway from this entire experience is that the game of basketball can kind of get away from us at time.

Do we really need to look THIS deeply into every aspect of a player we used to love getting another shot in the NBA? And where does this kind of stuff end?

WE ARE LITERALLY FIGHTING OTHER JAZZ FANS OVER JIMMER FREDETTE.

And frankly, it’s pretty damn weak.

Always try to remember the wise words of Abraham Lincoln:

A house divided against itself, cannot stand.

What are we going to do if Russell Westbrook comes back to town? How will we react if Donovan misses a game-winner in round one?

Will it be with hatred and cowardly online harassment toward those who generally share our same beliefs and values?

As a lifelong Utah Jazz fan, I hope we’re better than this. If something as minuscule as JIMMER FREDETTE RETURNING TO THE NBA is causing this kind of backbiting, do we even deserve any kind of success?

If it continues at the rate it’s at, we might as well pack up the whole team.