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In order to fill one his multiple assistant coach vacancies, Brad Underwood is bringing in a former Illinois player who has established himself in college basketball coaching circles.
According to Stadium.com basketball insider Jeff Goodman, Chester Frazier has agreed to join the Illinois coaching staff after spending two seasons as the associate head coach at Virginia Tech under Hokies head coach Mike Young.
“The decision to leave K-State has been one of the most difficult in my professional life,” Frazier said in a university release in April 2019. “I have learned so much from Coach Weber about coaching and helping develop young people with integrity. He is one of the best in the business, and our relationship extends beyond basketball. I also want to thank all current and past players for their dedication, effort and trust in me. I hope they continue to make themselves, their families and school proud. Ultimately, this was a great opportunity to advance in the profession and also get closer to my family on the East Coast.”
Illini Now/Sports Illustrated has confirmed from sources close to the men’s basketball program that Frazier met with the Illinois head coach in Chicago earlier this week to discuss an opening on Underwood’s coaching staff.
The news on Frazier comes on the same day the University of Kentucky made official the news of the hiring of Illinois assistant Orlando Antigua and Ronald “Chin” Coleman, which Illini Now/SI had already confirmed days ago, creating multiple vacancies on the Illini staff.
Frazier, a native of Baltimore, is most noted to Illini fans as a former player under then-Illini head coach Bruce Weber from 2005-09 when he helped to three 20-win seasons and three trips to the NCAA Tournament. Frazier still ranks seventh at Illinois in career assists (484) and ninth in career assists per game (3.9) while earning honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference and Big Ten All-Defensive Team honors, while leading the Big Ten in assists (5.3 per game) his senior season. Following a two-year professional career overseas, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Illinois and followed Weber to Kansas State for seven seasons that included 150 wins, two Big 12 regular-season championships (2013 and 2019) and five NCAA Tournament appearances (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019).
“He has had previous opportunities to leave the staff, and I know that the proximity of (Virginia Tech) to his family in Baltimore played a major role in his decision,” Weber said after Frazier left his staff for Virginia Tech. “He has played an important role in our success and has helped build a solid foundation for this program. We will miss Chester, (his wife) Sarah and their kids, Chandler and Cameron, and wish them great success in the future.”
Frazier has tutored 13 players named to All-Big 12 Conference teams during his time at KSU and helped mentor the 2019 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, four Big 12 All-Defensive Team members, as well as three players selected to the league’s All-Newcomer Team.
Following the 2015-16 season, Frazier was one of just six power conference assistant coaches selected to the 2016 Under Armour 30-under-30 Team presented by the National Association of Basketball Coaches at the Final Four in Houston.
Frazier has been a factor in the development of Virginia Tech’s perimeter play since joining Young’s staff and is known in the business as an excellent scout of opponents but industry sources will note Hokies assistant coach Christian Webster is responsible for a majority of the Hokies recent recruiting success.
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