Jimmer Fredette scores 73 in China league game

Jimmer Fredette, a former NBA first-round pick who struggled to make an impact in the league, scored 73 points in a Chinese Basketball Association game on Sunday night.

Fredette, playing in his first season in the CBA, and his Shanghai Sharks lost in double overtime on the road to the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions. The Sharks are owned by former NBA All-Star Yao Ming.

Fredette's 73 points are the fourth most in a single game in the league, behind Errick McCollum (82), Quincy Douby (75) and Bobby Brown (74), according to ESPN.com. Fredette shot 25 of 49 from the field.

Fredette, who turns 28 later this week, ranks third in the Chinese league in scoring with a 36.3-point average, leading Shanghai to a 29-6 record this season and into the playoffs, which begin Friday.

Fredette had a standout college career at Brigham Young, leading the Cougars to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances. He won every major Player of the Year honor and was a first-team All-American during his senior season, leading the nation with 28.9 points per game.

Fredette was selected 10th in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, who then traded him to the Sacramento Kings. He played five seasons in the NBA with the Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks before signing with the Sharks last August.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Fredette spent most of last season in the NBA Development League. The guard averaged 6.0 points and 1.4 assists in 235 career NBA games.