Former Georgia basketball standout joins NBA G-League team
J.J. Frazier's dream of playing in the NBA is now one step closer to reality.
The Memphis Grizzlies' NBA G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, announced Monday that it has signed the former Georgia star point guard to a contract. To make room for Frazier, the Hustle waived Jerome Seagears.
G League players can receive a "call-up" to the NBA. The NBA's minor league system states on its website that at least 30 G League players have been called up in each of the past five seasons.
Over his tenure, Frazier emerged as one of the better players to ever suit up for Georgia in program history. As a senior in 2016-17, Frazier averaged 18.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Frazier's best performances came over a five-game stretch as a senior following an early-game injury to forward Yante Maten against Kentucky on Feb. 18, 2017.
Beginning with that Kentucky contest, Frazier averaged 29.6 points per game over a span of five final regular-season games to help place Georgia in the NCAA Tournament bubble conversation. In the end, the Bulldogs were unable to get into the NCAA Tournament and lost a first-round game to Belmont in the NIT.
After graduating from Georgia, Frazier worked out for the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors during the 2017 NBA draft process. Undrafted, Frazier played his first professional basketball season with JDA Dijon Basket of the French LNB Pro A basketball league. In 16 games, Frazier averaged 8.2 points, 2.6 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 20.9 minutes per game.
Frazier was a lightly recruited three-star prospect from Glenville who starred at Faith Baptist Christian Academy. Passed over by every Power 5 program outside of Georgia, Frazier ended his career as a first-team All-SEC selection.
In an interview with The Telegraph last summer, Frazier said he has wanted to prove people wrong throughout his entire career.
"I think that’s who I am by nature," Frazier said. "It’s just one of those things that will always stick with me and be with me no matter what I do. I’m that guy. My biggest thing is I’m going to continue to be myself, play like myself, carry myself the way I’ve been carrying myself the last four years at UGA. That right there got me in the door to work out for NBA teams so I don’t want to change that."
This story was originally published February 6, 2018 at 10:20 AM with the headline "Former Georgia basketball standout joins NBA G-League team."