Jimmer Fredette, “best scorer in the world,” a natural at the media interview

Celebrities with an active online profile can easily thrust others into the limelight. Last night professional basketball player Kevin Durant (@kthunderup), shooting guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, tweeted that a relatively unknown (although he is the nation’s leading college scorer) college guard Jimmer Fredette was the “best scorer in the world.” (And this was after Durant scored a whopping 47 points!) It didn’t take long for media and Twitter fans to jump all over it.

Fredette has talent to back up this media attention, but when a top player in the NBA gives you public social props like this, others DO notice.

Before he had a chance to take his jersey off after last night’s 71-58 victory over San Diego State, Jimmer was on live for a quick interview with ESPN. (As a PR pro, you know it’s difficult without a lot of interview prep time.) They let him know Durant crowned him king of scorers and asked for his reaction. Here’s a clip from that interview:

A natural!

My favorite interview, however, was this afternoon. Fredette had another ESPN interview (I’ll add the clip when/if it’s available) and this time they went outside basketball-only questions and asked about his childhood, family and his religious practices. He handled every question like a seasoned pro. If you’ve ever been in a live interview situation–it’s not easy. There’s no room for error. I don’t know if Fredette had any media training, but his skill set is above average.

So, what worked for Fredette?

1. He answered the question first.”Yes.” “No.” If he had additional comments, he gave them after the initial answer.
2. His key messages were easily integrated. Fredette’s top message? Giving due credit to his team. Known for his teamwork on the court, he continues to model this behavior in his media interviews.
3. A sense of humor. (And this is not a skill you can develop. He’s a natural.)
4. He is probably getting inundated with media requests and of those many are probably asking similar questions. Fredette responds to each question like it’s the first time he’s answered it.
5. Humble. At least for right now, his demeanor tells me that he knows the game is bigger than he is.
6. Sound bites. He isn’t long winded and the reporter doesn’t have to interrupt him. It sounds good and he didn’t lose my attention.

So, grab today’s ESPN interview and add it to your archive for future media training. Granted there aren’t hard hitting questions, but the fundamentals (just like in basketball) are essential to success and Fredette has them.

What advice would you offer Fredette as he becomes a seasoned interviewee?