Jim Fritsche

{{Short description|American basketball player (1931–2019)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Jim Fritsche

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| number = 19, 21, 8

| position = Power forward / center

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 8

| weight_lb = 210

| birth_date = December 10, 1931

| birth_place = Saint Paul, Minnesota

| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2019|02|28|1931|12|10}}

| death_place = Saint Paul, Minnesota

| nationality = American

| high_school = Humboldt (Saint Paul, Minnesota)

| college = Hamline (1949–1953)

| draft_year = 1953

| draft_round = 1

| draft_pick = 7

| draft_team = Minneapolis Lakers

| career_start = 1953

| career_end = 1955

| years1 = {{nbay|1953|full=y}}

| team1 = Minneapolis Lakers

| years2 = {{nbay|1954|start}}

| team2 = Baltimore Bullets

| years3 = {{nbay|1954|full=y}}

| team3 = Fort Wayne Pistons

| highlights =

| stats_league = NBA

| stat1label = Points

| stat1value = 326 (3.9 ppg)

| stat2label = Rebounds

| stat2value = 249 (3.0 rpg)

| stat3label = Assists

| stat3value = 77 (0.9 apg)

| bbr = fritsji01

| historical_profile = jim_fritsche

}}

James A. Fritsche (December 10, 1931 – February 28, 2019) was an American professional basketball player.{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/f/fritsji01.html|title=Jim Fritsche NBA stats|website=Basketball Reference|publisher=Sports Reference, LLC|accessdate=30 September 2023}} Fritsche was selected in the first round of the 1953 NBA draft (7th overall) by the Minneapolis Lakers after a collegiate career at Hamline University. He played two seasons for three teams, the Lakers, Baltimore Bullets and Fort Wayne Pistons.

Fritsche died on February 28, 2019, at age 87.{{cite news|url=https://hamlineathletics.com/news/2019/3/2/mens-basketball-hu-hall-of-famer-jim-fritsche-passes-away.aspx|title=HU Hall of Famer Jim Fritsche passes away|date=March 2, 2019|publisher= Hamline Pipers |access-date=November 16, 2019}}