Illinois Basketball: Trent Frazier is officially a professional basketball player

The Illinois basketball staff has one other participant who’s getting into the skilled ranks.

Among the greatest Illini gamers within the historical past of this system have gone to a distinct nation to play their post-college basketball. A superb instance is Brian Randle. He performed eight seasons of basketball in a distinct nation, and now he’s an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns.

Illinois basketball has a well-known face who’s getting into the skilled ranks in a distinct nation. On Friday night time, it was introduced that Trent Frazier had signed on with FMP Meridian of the Adriatic League in Europe. This was a two-year cope with the financials not disclosed.

It’s thrilling to get one other former Illini into the skilled ranks. He now joins fairly a number of Illinois gamers corresponding to Ayo Dosunmu and Andres Feliz, simply to call a number of of his former teammates.

FMP Meridian is getting a playmaker in former Illinois basketball guard Trent Frazier.

This was an excellent signing by FMP Meridian as a result of Frazier can do all the pieces you’d need on a basketball courtroom.

4 out of the 5 seasons he was with Illinois, Frazier averaged over 10 factors per recreation. He hit his profession highs with 4.1 assists and a pair of.8 rebounds per recreation this previous season as nicely. Frazier isn’t simply concerning the offensive aspect of the courtroom both. He was probably the greatest defenders within the nation, and he averaged over 1.2 steals per recreation in 4 out of the 5 seasons in faculty.

Will probably be fascinating to see how a lot Frazier impacts FMP Meridian in 12 months one. This was a 14-12 group final season, which was adequate to barely sneak into the playoffs. They have been swept within the first spherical by 19-7 Buducnost.

Including a participant like Frazier ought to assist the staff tremendously. There are three areas I consider Frazier may also help this staff. The primary space is protection. I see Frazier coming in and being a defensive stopper for this staff. The second space is distributing the basketball. FMP Meridian ranked No. 9 within the ABA League with 16.6 assists per recreation. That quantity ought to rise.

The ultimate space I see Frazier making the most important impression is in three-point taking pictures. As a staff, FMP Meridian shot simply 31.8% from three-point vary. In three out of the 5 seasons Frazier was in faculty, he hit not less than 36.2% of his three-point pictures. He was a profession 35.1% three-point shooter for the Illini as nicely.

I’m extraordinarily completely satisfied for Frazier and what the long run holds for the gifted guard. He was a fan favourite whereas at Illinois, and that isn’t going to alter simply because he has left. We’ll all be watching his journey by way of the basketball ranks.