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April 21, 2015
Release courtesy of NBA D-League
NEW YORK -- Maine Red Claws guard Tim Frazier, currently a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, has been selected as both the 2015 NBA Development League's Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year, as voted on by the league's 18 head coaches.
Frazier (6-1, 170, Penn State) played in 41 games for the Red Claws, 40 as a starter, averaging 16.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 9.5 assists, good for second-best in the NBA D-League. Frazier led the NBA D-League with four triple-doubles while also recording 14 double-doubles for Maine. He scored a career-high 34 against the Delaware 87ers on Jan. 3, and led the team in scoring nine times and assists 37 times.
"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."
During his rookie campaign in Maine, Frazier was named NBA D-League Performer of the Week three times and was selected as a 2015 NBA D-League All-Star. He earned three GATORADE Call-Ups during the season, two to the Philadelphia 76ers and most recently to the Trail Blazers on March 30. In his first-ever NBA game on Feb. 9, Frazier dished out 11 assists in 35 minutes at Boston for Philadelphia. He recorded his first NBA double-double on April 15 when he recorded 13 points and 10 assists for Portland at Dallas. Frazier owns NBA career averages of 5.2 points, 5.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 11 games with the Sixers and Blazers.
"This season, Tim quickly established himself as one of the league's elite guards with NBA potential," said Red Claws Head Coach Scott Morrison. "It was an honor and a privilege to take the court with Tim this season and I hope to be watching his progression in the NBA for years to come.
Frazier becomes the second player to earn MVP and Rookie of the Year honors in the same season, joining Devin Brown who achieved the feat in 2003.
All-Time NBA D-League Most Valuable Player award winners:
2014:15: Tim Frazier* (Maine Red Claws)
2013-14: Ron Howard (Fort Wayne Mad Ants)& Othyus Jeffers (Iowa Energy)
2012-13: Andrew Goudelock (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
2011-12: Justin Dentmon (Austin Toros)
2010-11: Curtis Stinson (Iowa Energy)
2009-10: Mike Harris (Rio Grande Valley)
2008-09: Courtney Sims (Iowa Energy)
2007-08: Kasib Powell (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
2006-07: Randy Livingston (Idaho Stampede)
2005-06: Marcus Fizer (Austin Toros)
2004-05: Matt Carroll (Roanoke Dazzle)
2003-04: Tierre Brown (Charleston Lowgators)
2002-03: Devin Brown (Fayetteville Patriots)
2001-02: Ansu Sesay (Greenville Groove)
All-Time NBA D-League Rookie of the Year winners:
2014:15: Tim Frazier* (Maine Red Claws)
2013:14: Robert Covington* (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
2012-13: Tony Mitchell (Fort Wayne Mad Ants)
2011-12: Edwin Ubiles (Dakota Wizards)
2010-11: DeShawn Sims (Maine Red Claws)
2009-10: Alonzo Gee* (Austin Toros)
2008-09: Othyus Jeffers (Iowa Energy)
2007-08: Blake Ahearn (Dakota Wizards)
2006-07: Louis Amundson* (Colorado 14ers)
2005-06: Will Bynum* (Roanoke Dazzle)
2004-05: James Thomas (Roanoke Dazzle)
2003-04: Desmond Penigar (Asheville Altitude)
2002-03: Devin Brown (Fayetteville Patriots)
2001-02: Fred House (Charleston Lowgators)
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AT PENN STATE:Frazier completed his career with the Nittany Lions as the all-time leader in career assists (641) and as the seventh-leading scorer in Penn State history with 1,543 points. He owns three of the Top 10 spots in single-season assists in Happy Valley, including the No. 1 total (198, 2012). Frazier's totals reflect excellence among the Big Ten ranks as well, as the two-time all-conference selection became just the second Big Ten player to reach 1,500 points, 600 assists and 500 rebounds (523) in his career.