Tim Frazier

Tim Frazier
Born	(1990-11-01) November 1, 1990 Houston, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Professional basketball player
Known for	Playing college basketball for Penn State; NBA career as point guard

Tim Frazier (born November 1, 1990) is a professional basketball athlete from the United States. He played his high school basketball at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory and later competed at the collegiate level for Penn State as a point guard. During his tenure at Penn State, Frazier received first-team All-Big Ten recognition as well as a spot on the All-Big Ten Defensive team in 2012. Over the course of nine NBA seasons, he has represented eight different teams.

Early life

Tim Frazier was born on November 1, 1990, in Houston, Texas, to parents Billy and Janice. He started playing basketball at the age of five. Despite being relatively undersized, he became known for his agility and speed. From an early age, he adopted a style focused on teamwork rather than individual accolades. His sister Krystal highlighted his dedication to enhancing team dynamics, exemplifying the essence of a true point guard.

High school career

Frazier attended Strake Jesuit College Preparatory located in Houston, Texas. As a junior, he averaged 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.0 steals per contest, earning the title of District 17-5A Defensive Player of the Year. In his senior year, his statistics improved to 15.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 3.6 steals per game, guiding his team to an impressive 37–1 record and making history as the first private school to advance to the state tournament semifinals. Reflecting on his final year, Frazier described it as a pivotal period in his development.

Ranked by Rivals.com as the 20th-best point guard nationally and 110th overall, he was also recognized as TexasHoops.com’s top recruit within the state and honored as Boys Basketball Player of the Year by the Houston Chronicle. He competed with the Houston Elite Amateur Athletic Union squad, noted for cultivating collegiate-level players, and graduated high school with cum laude distinction.

On October 23, 2008, Frazier made a verbal commitment to join the Penn State Nittany Lions basketball program, citing its strong academic reputation alongside basketball compatibility. Other offers came from Bradley, Colorado State, New Mexico State, Santa Clara, Stanford, Stephen F. Austin, and UTEP. Visits to San Diego, TCU, and Penn State helped shape his choice. Penn State coach Ed DeChellis commended Frazier's quickness, shooting prowess, athleticism, defensive skills, and playmaking abilities as valuable contributions to their backcourt lineup.

Freshman

Ahead of his freshman season at Penn State, Frazier recorded a team-leading vertical leap of 34 inches during preseason workouts and matched the lane agility record set at the 2009 NBA Draft Combine. He did not participate in Penn State’s exhibition game against Slippery Rock. In his official collegiate debut against Pennsylvania, he played eight minutes without scoring but contributed two assists and one rebound. His first collegiate points came against Robert Morris, where he delivered a team-high 19 points off the bench with efficient shooting (6-of-11 field goals including 4-of-5 three-pointers), alongside three assists, two rebounds, and one steal over thirty minutes. Coach DeChellis acknowledged this performance as a sign of Frazier’s perimeter shooting potential and confidence boost. On November 22, 2009, Frazier earned his first start at shooting guard facing Davidson, posting seven points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals in a season-high 34 minutes played. He concluded the 2009–10 season averaging 5.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.7 steals across all 31 regular-season contests.

Sophomore

Frazier made his sophomore debut on November 7, 2010, during an exhibition game against East Stroudsburg, where he contributed 10 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals but also committed 4 turnovers. Coach DeChellis highlighted difficulties with the offense and turnover control. On November 12, starting as shooting guard, Frazier logged 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists while shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line over 30 minutes. He earned his first start at point guard on November 19 against Fairfield, posting 3 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists; the coach commended his solid defensive performance.

On January 15, 2011, Frazier tallied 11 points with efficient shooting in a contest versus Ohio State. His highest scoring output of the season came on March 12 when he scored 22 points in a surprising victory over Michigan State during the semifinals of the 2011 Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament. In his initial NCAA tournament appearance against Temple, he recorded 15 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds but was involved in a critical defensive error late in the game. He concluded the season averaging 6.3 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game and received Academic All-Big Ten Conference recognition for the 2010–11 season.

Junior

Under coach Pat Chambers, Frazier opened his junior year on November 5, 2011, by leading Penn State with 19 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds during an exhibition victory over Slippery Rock. In the season opener against Hartford, he contributed 12 points, 6 assists, and an impressive 5 steals in just 28 minutes. Chambers emphasized Frazier’s role as a key scorer and facilitator.

In the following game, Frazier notched his second career double-double by scoring over 20 points alongside a career-best 10 assists; he also added 6 rebounds and defensive stats to guide Penn State to a 62–46 win over Radford during the Hall of Fame Tip-Off tournament. Against LIU–Brooklyn, he posted a career-high of 26 points with another double-double featuring 10 assists, helping Penn State achieve a rare 3–0 start for only the third time in twelve seasons. Chambers lauded his leadership qualities and comprehensive performance.

After a defeat to Kentucky, Frazier responded with a 27-point effort against South Florida on November 20. He then delivered a career-high of 11 assists for his fourth double-double that season. On January 11, 2012, despite a team loss to Nebraska, he posted a personal best of 30 points. That season, he led the Big Ten with eight games scoring at least twenty points.

Frazier wrapped up his junior campaign averaging career bests of 18.8 points, 6.2 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per contest. His honors included John Lawther Team MVP, Second Team NABC All-District selection, First Team All-Big Ten recognition, Academic All-Big Ten distinction, Basketball Times All-District accolade, and inclusion on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team.

Redshirt

Frazier commenced his fourth year at Penn State on November 3, 2012, by posting totals of 17 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds in an exhibition matchup against Philadelphia before ceding playing time to D. J. Newbill. On November 9, he marked his nineteenth career game scoring at least twenty points versus Saint Francis (PA). However, just six minutes into a game against Akron on November 18, Frazier suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon, sidelining him for roughly twelve months and ending his season prematurely. This injury was described as a significant setback for the program. Coach Chambers expressed optimism regarding Frazier’s recovery and potential eligibility for a fifth NCAA season. Subsequently, Frazier elected to redshirt that year to undergo surgery.

Reflecting on the incident later, Frazier vividly recalled the moment of injury and outlined his rehabilitation regimen involving elliptical workouts, swimming sessions, and weight training supervised by Penn State athletic trainer Jon Salazer. His sister Krystal had endured a comparable Achilles injury during her collegiate basketball tenure and successfully returned to competition following rehabilitation.

Senior

In late April, it was officially announced that Frazier would return to Penn State for his final collegiate season following the Big Ten's approval of his fifth year of eligibility. Chambers commented, "We are excited for him to conclude his career on a high note and maintain his status as one of the top players in the country." Additionally, it was revealed that Frazier intended to pursue a second major during the summer term.

On November 3, 2013, Frazier contributed 11 points and 6 assists in an exhibition victory over Northwood. In the season opener, he achieved a double-double against Wagner, marking the seventh double-double of his college career. He converted 12 of 17 free throws and added 4 assists. On November 16, he reached a season-best scoring output with 29 points versus Pennsylvania, along with 7 assists and 3 rebounds. The backcourt duo of Frazier and Newbill was recognized among the nation's elite, combining for a total of 48 points in that matchup. He tied his season-high by scoring 29 points again against St. John's on November 29.

On December 11, Frazier set a personal record with 13 assists in a victory over Duquesne, equaling the third-highest single-game assist total in Penn State history. He finished the season averaging 14.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game across 34 starts while logging an average of 35.2 minutes per contest. His accolades included being named to the Bob Cousy Award watch list, earning Third Team All-Big Ten recognition, selection to the Barclays Center Classic all-tournament team, finalist status for the Senior CLASS Award, and receiving the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

College statistics

College	Year	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Penn State	2009–10	31	10	18.4	.386	.375	.672	2.3	2.4	0.7	0.1	5.0
Penn State	2010–11	34	33	30.8	.430	.344	.753	3.9	5.1	1.0	0.1	6.3
Penn State	2011–12	32	31	37.1	.419	.314	.791	4.7	6.2	2.4	0.2	18.8
Penn State	2012–13	4	4	32.5	.357	.182	.846	4.5	3.8	2.3	0.3	16.3
Penn State	2013–14	34	34	35.2	.430	.291	.785	4.5	5.4	1.6	0.2	14.9

Maine Red Claws (2014–2015)

Ahead of the 2014 NBA draft, Frazier participated in workouts with several NBA franchises such as the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers. After going undrafted, Philadelphia invited him to join their squad for the 2014 Las Vegas Summer League to assess his potential impact. The assistant coach of Philadelphia commended his composure throughout the competition.

On September 29, 2014, Frazier signed a non-guaranteed training camp contract with the Boston Celtics, likely positioning him for assignment to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. In his debut with Maine, he delivered a strong showing contributing significantly to a victory over the Oklahoma City Blue.

Philadelphia 76ers (2015)

On February 5, 2015, Frazier inked a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. He made his debut the following day during a 96–107 defeat to the Boston Celtics, leading his team with 11 assists while also contributing 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals in nearly 35 minutes off the bench.

Return to Maine (2015)

Following the expiration of his 10-day deal, Frazier was not retained by Philadelphia and was reacquired by the Maine Red Claws on February 16, 2015.

Return to Philadelphia (2015)

Frazier signed a second 10-day contract with the 76ers on February 20 but was released on February 24 after the team added Thomas Robinson to their roster.

Third stint with Maine (2015)

He returned to Maine on February 28, 2015. On March 5, Frazier achieved his fourth triple-double of the season by posting 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 14 assists in a 121–110 victory over the Austin Spurs.

Portland Trail Blazers (2015–2016)

On March 30, 2015, Frazier agreed to a multi-year contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. By April 21, he earned both the NBA Development League's Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year honors for 2015 after averaging 16.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 9.5 assists across 41 games.

In July 2015, Frazier participated in the Trail Blazers' squad for the 2015 NBA Summer League and secured a spot on their roster for the 2015–16 campaign. He appeared in 15 of Portland’s first 29 games and made his first career start on December 21, filling in for the injured Damian Lillard. During that game against the Atlanta Hawks, he recorded 12 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, along with 2 steals and a block in nearly full playing time during a 106–97 loss. On February 18, 2016, Portland waived him.

Fourth stint with Maine (2016)

Frazier was reacquired by the Maine Red Claws on February 27. In his second game back on February 28, he posted the franchise’s tenth triple-double with totals of 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in a commanding 132–111 win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

New Orleans Pelicans (2016–2017)

Utilizing an NBA hardship exemption that expanded their roster to 17 due to injuries, the New Orleans Pelicans signed Frazier to a 10-day contract on March 16, 2016. He debuted that same night contributing 14 points and nine assists in a commanding 123–108 victory over the Sacramento Kings. On March 20, he posted a season-best of 17 points in a win against the Los Angeles Clippers, then surpassed that mark with an 18-point performance four days later versus the Indiana Pacers. On March 26, Frazier secured a contract for the remainder of that season. He set personal bests on April 3 with a bench performance of 19 points and thirteen assists during a victory over the Brooklyn Nets, then followed up on April 11 with another career-high of twenty points alongside eleven assists in a loss to the Chicago Bulls. In New Orleans’ final game of the season on April 13, he contributed fifteen assists off the bench against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Frazier re-signed with New Orleans on July 22, 2016. In the season opener on October 26, he recorded a double-double of fifteen points and eleven assists during a defeat to the Denver Nuggets. Two days later, he achieved a new career-high by scoring twenty-one points in a loss against the Golden State Warriors. On November 22, Frazier delivered an impressive showing with twenty-one points and fourteen assists in a win over the Atlanta Hawks. Then on December 11, he earned his first NBA triple-double by tallying fourteen points along with career-high eleven rebounds and eleven assists off the bench during a thrilling overtime victory against the Phoenix Suns (120–119).

Washington Wizards (2017–2018)

Frazier was traded to the Washington Wizards on June 21, 2017, in exchange for the 52nd pick in the 2017 NBA draft. On January 27, 2018, he achieved a season-best 14 assists during a 129–104 victory against the Atlanta Hawks.

Return to New Orleans (2018–2019)

Frazier joined the Milwaukee Bucks for training camp on September 22, 2018, but was released on October 15. Shortly after, on October 17, the New Orleans Pelicans claimed him off waivers. His tenure with the Pelicans ended when he was waived on February 28, 2019.

Milwaukee Bucks (2019)

On March 19, 2019, Frazier re-signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. He posted a personal best of 29 points and 13 assists on April 10 in a 127–116 defeat by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Detroit Pistons (2019–2020)

Frazier inked a deal with the Detroit Pistons on July 6, 2019. The Pistons waived him on February 6, 2020.

Memphis Grizzlies (2021)

On January 4, 2021, Frazier secured a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, appearing in three contests. He signed a second 10-day contract on April 14 and subsequently earned a contract for the remainder of that season on April 24.

Orlando Magic (2021–2022)

Frazier agreed to a 10-day contract with the Orlando Magic on December 21, 2021, followed by a second consecutive 10-day contract on December 31.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2022)

On February 25, 2022, Frazier signed a short-term, 10-day contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

AEK Athens (2022–2023)

Frazier embarked on his first international engagement by signing with Greek team AEK Athens on August 24, 2022.

SIG Strasbourg (2023)

He joined French club SIG Strasbourg through a contract signed on February 21, 2023.

Promitheas Patras (2023)

Returning to Greece on December 11, 2023, Frazier signed with Promitheas Patras, but departed after twelve days due to personal family reasons.

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Philadelphia | 6 || 3 || 28.5 || .302 || .273 || .333 || 3.2 || 7.2 || 1.0 || .0 || 5.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Portland | 5 || 0 || 13.6 || .444 || .333 || .833 || 1.8 || 3.4 || .4 || .0 || 4.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Portland | 35 || 1 || 7.8 || .333 || .176 || .533 || 1.1 || 1.2 || .3 || .0 || 1.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|New Orleans | 16 || 1 || 29.3 || .450 || .419 || .763 || 4.4 || 7.5 || 1.4 || .1 || 13.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|New Orleans | 65 || 35 || 23.5 || .403 || .313 || .760 || 2.7 || 5.2 || .9 || .1 || 7.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Washington | 59 || 11 || 14.2 || .395 || .304 || .767 || 1.9 || 3.3 || .8 || .1 || 3.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|New Orleans | 47 || 17 || 19.3 || .451 || .351 || .780 || 2.9 || 4.4 || .5|| .1||5.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Milwaukee |12||2||17.6||.424||.417||.692||2.6||3.5||.4||.1||6.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Detroit |27||11||13.1||.362||.333||.792||1.2||3.4||.5||.1||3.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Memphis |5||0||12.4||.150||.000||.333||1.6||3.2||.4||.2||1.6 |-

| style="text-align:left;" | 
| style="text-align:left;" |Orlando 
|10||3||20.0||.302||.353||.556||1.9||3.3||.3||.1||3.7
|- 
| style="text-align:left;" | 
| style="text-align:left;" |Cleveland 
|2||0||4.0||.500||—||—||0.0||0.5||0.0||0.0||1.0

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career 
|289||84||17.6||.400||.323||.723||2.3||4.0||0.7||0.1||4.9

Playoff Performance

|- | style="text-align:left;"|2015 | style="text-align:left;"|Portland | 2 || 0 || 1.5 || .000 || || || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0 |- | style="text-align:left;"|2018 | style="text-align:left;"|Washington | 2 || 0 || 3.0 || .000 || || || .5 || 1.5 || .5 || .0 || .0 |- | style="text-align:left;"|2019 | style="text-align:left;"|Milwaukee | 11 || 0 || 3.6 || .615 || .500 || 1.000 || .8 || .9 || .1 || .0 || 1.9 |- | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Overall | 15 || 0 || 3.3 || .533 || .500 || 1.000 || .7 || .9 || .1 || .0 || 1.4

Personal life

Tim Frazier completed his undergraduate studies in May 2013, achieving a 3.1 GPA in supply chain and information systems at the Smeal College of Business. The following year, he obtained an additional bachelor's degree in communication arts and sciences. During his time at Penn State, Frazier represented the basketball program on the Student Athlete Advisory Board and was affiliated with the secret society Parmi Nous. In March 2023, he welcomed his first child.

External links

• NBA D-League profile
• Penn State Nittany Lions biography