BIO: Michael Frazier was born in Tampa, Florida (USA).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Michael Frazier made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 27 years of age. He scored five points in his first game.

After a dominant period under Trevor Gleeson, where the Perth Wildcats claimed five championships in seven seasons, the team saw significant changes ahead of the 2021/22 season. Gleeson departed to join the NBA’s Toronto Raptors coaching staff, and Perth suffered further blows with the departures of Will Magnay and key bench contributors Clint Steindl, Jarrad Weeks, and Jarred Bairstow. All four players signed with the Tasmania JackJumpers under former Wildcats assistant coach Scott Roth.

In response, Perth appointed US coach Scott Morrison as Gleeson’s replacement. The Wildcats added import players Vic Law (via Brisbane) and Michael Frazier II while securing Matthew Hodgson (via Brisbane) to bolster their frontcourt. These additions, combined with the returning Bryce Cotton and core veterans, set expectations high for the Wildcats to contend for another title.

Perth opened the season with five straight home games, winning four, before embarking on a grueling stretch of 14 consecutive road games due to Western Australia’s border closures caused by COVID-19. Despite the challenges of extended time away from family and friends, the Wildcats remained in the top four for much of the season. Bryce Cotton (22.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 steals) and Vic Law (20.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks) led the way, forming a formidable duo and keeping Perth at the top of the league in scoring (89.1 points per game).

Michael Frazier II played 19 games, averaging 7.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. Although he struggled to make a consistent impact early in the season, he provided moments of strong play, particularly on the defensive end. However, Frazier’s time with the team faced turbulence. As Perth prepared for a late-season playoff push, they opted to replace Frazier with big man John Brown III. Brown began training with the team but was unable to receive a clearance from his former club, leading to an awkward situation where Perth reactivated Frazier while Brown returned to the United States.

Earlier today, @PerthWildcats head coach Scott Morrison addressed the awkward nature of how things have played out with Michael Frazier II and John Brown III.#NBL22 pic.twitter.com/scxWbnKfDQ— NBL (@NBL) April 6, 2022

The late-season struggles compounded when Vic Law suffered a season-ending knee injury, and Bryce Cotton missed several games during the run home. This significantly hampered Perth’s chances, as they managed to win just three of their final nine games. Entering the final round, Perth needed to defeat South East Melbourne Phoenix to keep their playoff streak alive, a streak that had spanned 36 consecutive seasons since 1986.

Perth appeared poised to win, holding an eight-point lead in the second half, but the Phoenix mounted a comeback, forcing overtime and ultimately sealing a 102–100 win. The loss ended the Wildcats’ unprecedented run of consecutive playoff appearances, a heartbreaking conclusion to a season that began with high expectations.

ILLAWARRA HAWKS
2022/23
Following two consecutive semi-final appearances, Illawarra Hawks entered the 2022/23 season with a new direction after head coach Brian Goorjian departed to coach the Bay Area Dragons in the East Asia Super League. Goorjian’s longtime assistant, Jacob Jackomas, was elevated to head coach but faced a massive roster overhaul. The Hawks retained only Tyler Harvey and Sam Froling from the previous season’s main rotation, while key players Duop Reath, Justinian Jessup, Antonius Cleveland, and Xavier Rathan-Mayes all departed. Longtime Hawk AJ Ogilvy retired, further highlighting the significant changes.

Illawarra rebuilt their roster, adding local talents Deng Deng (via Brisbane), Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (via Perth), and Mangok Mathiang, who was returning from injury. The Hawks finalized their team with imports Justin Robinson and George King. Despite a promising foundation, the season quickly unraveled due to injuries.

In the opening game against Sydney, import guard Justin Robinson suffered a meniscus tear in his knee that required surgery, effectively ending his season. The Hawks brought in Kevin White as a short-term replacement and later released George King after persistent lower leg injuries hampered his performances. The signing of Peyton Siva (9.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.6 steals) provided temporary relief, but Siva played just 11 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, leaving the Hawks shorthanded yet again.

By mid-November, the Hawks were 1–9 and in desperate need of reinforcements. At this point, Michael Frazier II was signed as a replacement player for Robinson. In December, Frazier helped Illawarra snap a nine-game losing streak with a 93–79 win over Melbourne. Sam Froling led the way with 29 points, while Frazier contributed 16 points and Tyler Harvey added 15.

Frazier delivered several standout performances during his short stint with the Hawks. In a double-overtime loss to Cairns (102–101), he recorded 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. He followed this up with a 27-point, 3-rebound, and 3-assist outing in a loss to Melbourne (88–77). However, just as Frazier began to find his rhythm, he suffered a broken arm during a game against Adelaide after a collision with two opposing players. The injury cut his season short after just eight games, during which he averaged 17.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, emerging as the Hawks’ highest-scoring player during that stretch.

The Hawks finished the season with a dismal 3–25 record, the worst in club history. Tyler Harvey led the team in scoring with 18.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals, while Sam Froling (14 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) was named the team’s MVP. Frazier’s brief yet impactful stint highlighted the Hawks’ turbulent season, marred by injuries and inconsistency.

Michael Frazier played two seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Perth Wildcats and the Illawarra Hawks. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 12 NBL games.