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Tim Frazier's first year as a pro has gone just about as well as it could have. He's played for two NBA teams, joined elite company with his debut in the NBA and is currently playing with the Portland Trailblazers in the Playoffs.
Of course, Frazier wouldn't have made it to the Association unless he tore it up in the NBA Development League. He did just that as a member of the Maine Red Claws, as he recorded four triple-doubles in 41 games and averaged 16.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game. His 9.5 APG were good enough for the second most in the league, and he helped lead the Red Claws to the best record in the D-League.
For his efforts, Frazier was named the D-League's Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year for the 2014-15 season. He is the second player in league history to win both awards.
BREAKING NEWS: Tim Frazier @psufraz23 has won BOTH @nbadleague MVP and Rookie of Year!!! #CrustaceanNation is PROUD! pic.twitter.com/f500WeuYWt
— Maine Red Claws (@maineredclaws) April 21, 2015
Congrats to NBA D-League Rookie of the Year *and* MVP Tim Frazier! (@psufraz23) pic.twitter.com/8Hvygwt0GO
— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) April 21, 2015
Here's what D-League President Malcolm Turner had to say about the Nittany Lion legend:
"There’s no question about it, Tim had an MVP-caliber season in Maine this year," said Malcolm Turner, NBA D-League President. "It takes a special young man to be as consistently dominant as he was this season, and to do it as a rookie is even more impressive. It’s fitting that our coaches recognized his hard work and his talent by selecting him as both the MVP and the Rookie of the Year. We look forward to watching his game continue to mature as his NBA career unfolds."
After everything Frazier went through during his Penn State career -- from the bad teams to his Achilles injury to ending his career with a loss in the CBI -- it's so great to see him receive this honor. As all of you know, he's a favorite of the basketbros (and really everyone else who has any kind of affiliation with Penn State hoops), so we're all going to sing and dance and be merry for, like, a week.
Congrats, Tim!