Will Fraser Go to NBA? Don't Put It Past Him
Kobe Bryant sidled up to Jason Fraser recently and paid the 6-10 Amityville senior the ultimate compliment.
"You know," Fraser recalled the Los Angeles Lakers guard telling him at a midtown McDonald's news conference Feb. 23, "the Lakers really need a power forward."
Bryant knows the jump from high school to the NBA can be done, having done it in 1996. And it's possible Fraser, who signed with Villanova in November, could attempt to make the bold leap to the pros. Four high schoolers were taken with the top eight picks last June. It's a decision Fraser must wrestle with very soon.
"I want to go to school," Fraser said. "But at the same time, if people are saying I'm a lottery pick now, I can't refuse that opportunity. That's what you're working toward in college."
What makes the NBA so alluring, aside from the fame, is the chance to strike it rich. The rookie minimum next season is $349,458. But first-round picks fetch guaranteed three-year deals for at least $2 million. And as long as Fraser does not hire an agent, he still can play college basketball even after being drafted. No team will take the chance of drafting him, however, without knowing whether he is signable.
Fraser already was regarded as one of the nation's top 20 seniors - and an elite big man - before the season began. Recruiting analyst Tom Konchalski believes Fraser, who has averaged 25 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks, has only improved his status in the months since.
"Jason Fraser has really developed and become a more consistent player," Konchalski said. "And without his sidekick Tristan Smith [now at St. John's], he's shown he can dominate a game on his own. He's one of the best big men in the country, and in the end, he could be the best."
But Konchalski said it would be a mistake for Fraser to leap straight to the NBA. Going to Villanova, if only for one year, would give Fraser time to develop mentally and physically.
Several other things must fall into place for the NBA to become a serious proposition. How Fraser performs at a pair of all-star games - the EA Sports Roundball Classic March 26 in Chicago and the McDonald's All-American game April 4 at Madison Square Garden - will go a long way toward determining his fate.
Yet none of it matters right now. Besides trying to win another state championship, Fraser is busy being a teenager. He plays Cowboy Bob in the high school production of the musical "Footloose," which opened last night at the high school and runs through Saturday.
Drama club director Chuck Femia calls him one of the most centered kids he's seen. That means Fraser will make the best decision he can when it's time.
"At times I feel like he is ready for the NBA," Amityville coach Jack Agostino said. "I'm not a scout, so I don't know what they're looking for. He can run the court and defend with the best of them. He's able to score in pressure situations. That's a big plus. If he plays well in these national all-star games, his stock will rise. Only God knows what will happen. I don't have a crystal ball."
