Tulane junior Melvin Frazier is declaring for the 2018 NBA draft.
"I've grown and matured so much in the last three years both on and off the court," Frazier told ESPN." I feel like now is a great time for me to test the waters."
Frazier will not hire an agent at this time, preserving the option to return to school for his senior year pending the feedback he receives from NBA teams.
"Not at this time," Frazier said. "I'm only one year from getting my college degree, and that means a lot to me."
He plans to attend the NBA scouting combine in Chicago in May if invited. "I just want to show that I belong and can compete at a high level," Frazier said. "The questions about my game is what I'm going to prove. We'll see how It goes. It should be fun."
The 6-foot-6 small forward averaged 15.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.1 steals in 34 minutes per game for Tulane. He had a breakout season as a junior, upping his shooting percentages considerably and putting himself on the radar because of his stellar physical tools.
"Maturity and hard work," Frazier said when asked about the keys behind his breakout season. "I put in a lot of work last summer and season. Everything started to slow down for me. I've always been athletic, but figuring out how to use it has taken my game to a different level."
Frazier is currently projected 30th in the ESPN Top 100. He has big shoulders, an exceptionally long 7-foot-2 wingspan, huge hands and impressive athleticism that gives him significant potential as a multi-positional defender at the NBA level.