NEW YORK, N.Y. – Portland Trail Blazers guard Tim Frazier 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.” In 11 NBA games (three starts) with the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland this season, Frazier averaged 5.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 21.7 minutes. He dished out 11 assists in his NBA debut with Philadelphia on Feb. 6 to become just the sixth player since 1985-86 to record at least 10 assists in his career debut. Frazier, who signed a contract with Portland for the remainder of the season on March 30, averaged 4.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in five games with the Trail Blazers. He scored 13 points and handed out 10 assists at Dallas on April 15 to obtain the first double-double of his NBA career. 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. "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)