Frazier's resiliency an example for Nittany Lions

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Much has changed since Tim Frazier last suited up for the Nittany Lions and made his way around campus. Building change, faces change and so too has the Penn State basketball program that he departed following the 2013-14 season.

"They got some talent," the New Orleans Pelicans point guard said Thursday night while back in town for Penn State's annual Coaches vs. Cancer golf outing. "I wish I was here now just to play with those guys. Those guys are playing hard and coach has them diving all over the place every game. If they get a couple wins here and there I think the season turns around. ... They're headed in the right direction."

Pat Chambers continues to preach to his players and recruits about "climbing with us," which has become the program's mantra that's even posted on graphics each time they land a new pledge. Tony Carr, Lamar Stevens, Shep Garner, Mike Watkins and the rest of the Lions will likely hear a similar message from Frazier when he meets with the team during its workout Friday morning.



"He kept plugging away and he believes in himself and that is so huge," Chambers said Thursday night. "He is such a poster child for our program right now to show our young guys and our team to believe and stay that course and that it's going to happen."

While Frazier was once a skinny point guard who stayed through a coaching change and then took a redshirt after blowing out his achilles as a junior, few have experienced and succeeded at such a climb to the NBA as the now 6-1, 170 pounder. After being asked to carry the team along with D.J. Newbill at Penn State, Frazier's successful collegiate career didn't propel him to hearing his name called on draft night.

The former first team All-Big Ten honoree was invited to the Las Vegas summer league by the 76ers just hours afterward where his NBA dream stayed alive. Next came the preseason stint with the Celtics, which ended up with Frazier getting cut and then signed by the Maine Red Claws of the D-League.

Then, there were a pair of 10-day contracts with the 76ers, with Frazier knowing all too well after each one that a cut was coming and he'd be looking for his next landing spot. As Frazier put it "10 days here and there you'd feel on top of the world and then obviously you'd get cut and sent back down and you'd be like, 'Man, I'm back here again.' "

Still, like Chambers wants his current team to hear, Frazier, now 26 years old, continued to climb.

"I knew what my dream was, to make it to the NBA and I kept pursuing that dream and like coach said there's going to be obstacles along the way but you've got to push through it," Frazier said. "I was able to do that and look at me know. I know people wouldn't have thought that I -- I was 145 pounds when I got to Penn State -- would make it in the NBA."

In March of 2015 Frazier signed a multi-year deal with the Trailblazers and played in 35 games before being waived and heading back to the Maine Red Claws. Less then three weeks later another 10-day contract came, this time from the New Orleans Pelicans where Frazier ended up sticking. With 35 starts and appearances in 65 games this past season, including his first triple-double this past December, the Houston native could only smile when talking about this year's NBA Finals.

"It's amazing. I get to watch this and say I played against these guys two, three times this year," he said. "I'm taking everything in."

Now that he's in the league, Frazier said he aims to not only stay, but also enjoy it. Laser focused on getting to the NBA since he was a high schooler, Frazier said he wants Penn State's players to appreciate the ride and if they too end up playing in the NCAA Tournament like Frazier's team did in 2011 to enjoy every moment of that, too.

For the next two days as he strolls around campus where he likely will still be a very recognizable face, the next wave of NBA hopefuls will be working out in the Bryce Jordan Center during the dog days of summer session I. Understanding this program, the challenges it faced and what it's overcome thus far under Chambers -- as evidenced as last year's highly-touted recruiting class -- and where it still needs to go is a perspective Frazier brings.

Much like this Penn State team looking to climb to the next step Frazier is eyeing his next contract, the one that would be another step toward securing his NBA dream for years to come.

"I talk to them about Tim all the time," Chambers said. "The basketball side of things, the academic side of things, what he accomplished in his time here, the achilles injury, losing your coaching, getting a new coach. I've talked about it all with our team and the journey he was on."

QUICK HITS

• Chambers called the 10 practices allowed "monstrous" for his young team. The Lions are allowed the additional practices because of their previously announced foreign tour, which will take place in the Bahamas later this summer. How and why did they settle on the Bahamas?

"We searched around and to see what was best for us and a lot of the guys have never been to the Bahamas or Atlantis," Chambers said. "Really liked who was organizing it and I always think there's an opportunity to maybe play in the ESPN tournament so there were a couple things added to it that I'd like to see happen."

So, stay tuned on that front since opponents have yet to be announced.

• What's impressed Frazier about Carr, the sophomore who became a go-to player for the Lions last year as a true freshman?

"The kid has some talent. He has some talent," Frazier said. "The sky is the limit for him. I just hope he continues to stay grounded, continues to go to work because I know he has a long way to go and I'm sure coach is going to keep him that way, but man, he has a chance."

• Frazier said his golf game is "alright," but was quick to add that his short game is "pretty bad."

"I'm just going to try to get it on the green and hand my putter off to somebody else and maybe someone else can finish it," he said.