CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illini guard Trent Frazier has elected to opt into an extra year of eligibility and return for a fifth season at Illinois, he announced on Saturday, giving Illinois a second big boost to its backcourt for the day. Utah transfer guard Alfonso Plummer announced his commitment to Illinois earlier in the day.
Frazier is 18th on Illinois basketball’s all-time scoring list with more than 1,400 career points. He averaged 10.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game as a senior last season while shooting 36 percent from three. He was also named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team.
Back in October, the NCAA ruled that all players would receive an extra year of eligibility following the 2020-21 season and that seniors could return without counting against their school’s scholarship limit. So, the Illini will get back a starter who played 33 minutes per game last season and they can still use his scholarship spot for an addition on the transfer market or in the 2021 class.
Last Friday, Frazier announced that he was hiring an NCAA-approved agent to pursue professional opportunities, while still preserving his eligibility. Earlier in the week, there were reports that Frazier was entering his name into the draft for the BSN, which is the first-tier professional league in Puerto Rico.
However, he has decided to give it one more go in Champaign. Frazier’s return provides a big shot in the arm for a team that’s needed answers in the backcourt. All-American guard Ayo Dosunmu entered the NBA Draft earlier this month and fellow starter Adam Miller entered the transfer portal.
But with Frazier and Andre Curbelo teaming up for one more season and Plummer arriving in the summer, the Illini have a dangerous offensive group in the backcourt though all are 6-foot-2 and shorter. Redshirt junior Austin Hutcherson will also be a factor in the backcourt, if he’s healthy, and senior Da’Monte Williams could also return as well. Four-star guard Brandin Podziemski, the 2021 Wisconsin Mr. Basketball, also signed with Illinois on Wednesday.
