Frye still chasing his dreams

Houma native and UNO graduate Nate Frye isn’t giving up on his dream to play professional basketball — not by a long shot.

Frye signed with a Canadian team, the Niagara River Lions last year out of college, but a late decision to trim the team’s roster size led to Frye’s roster spot being terminated — an unexpected year off from competition for a guy who’s played his entire life.

With the time away, Frye said he’s renewed his faith and is focus and now, he’s back stronger than ever.

The former Houma Christian star has competed in several camps in recent weeks — earning high marks which he hopes will open up another door for a professional opportunity.

“The grind for me is never going to stop,” Frye said. “I make that statement in regards to not only basketball, but life in general. Everyone is dealt bad hands at some point in life and who we are today is a result of how we handled those situations.”

The situation in Canada was a stroke of bad luck.

Frye earned his way to the next level after earning four-consecutive letters at UNO — a time when the program transformed from a bottom-tier program to the eventual Southland Conference Champions.

Frye was a beacon of consistency for the Privateers, averaging just north of 10 points per game for three-straight seasons after averaging 3.5 points per game in 2013-14 as a true freshman.

But as a senior in 2016-17, Frye unquestionably played his best basketball. He upped his field goal percentage from 39.5 percent to 45.2 percent, while lowering his turnovers rate from 2.2 per game to 1.8 per game.

He was a leader — both on and off the floor for a UNO team that shocked the Southeast and won the regular season Southland Conference Title and also the Southland Conference Tournament — an honor that comes with an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

In Southland play, Frye did some of his best work. He scored 15 points (on 5 shots) against Houston Baptist, then scored 16 the next game against Central Arkansas.

In the NCAA Tournament itself, Frye was again a force, hanging 18 points on Mount St. Mary’s — a heartbreaking 1-point loss for UNO.

After college got done, Frye tested the professional waters, competing at camps around the country before signing in Canada.

After going through training camp with the team, Frye wasn’t selected to the team’s final roster. By the time that decision was made, most of the opportunities around the globe had been filled, so Frye was left with a year away from the floor.

“The situation with the River Lions was a bit disappointing,” Frye said. “Not only to my family and I, but also to those who have followed my career from junior high all the way through college. When I told some of them what had happened, they seemed more distraught than I was. My faith in God has kept me motivated thus far.”

That faith has Frye working again — harder than ever — to get a second shot.

Frye said his new life mantra is “Watch God work,” and with that saying serving as motivation, he’s pushed forward.

He said he’s worked hard on his stamina throughout his time away, adding that he loves the feeling he gets on the floor when other players around him are tired, but he still has plenty of air in his reserves.

He added that he’s also continually working on his jump shot and ball handling — facets of his game that are forever evolving.

“I’m a shorter player,” Frye said. “It’s important that I’m able to shoot the deep ball and mid-range shot.”

But Frye also has something that one can’t teach — a relentless love for competing. And that passion has been shining through at the camps he’s attended around the country.

Frye recently attended a Eurobasket Camp in Atlanta — an event similar to the NBA Combine. While there, he said he finished in the top 5 in almost every category out of 40-plus players.

In live work, Frye dominated, scoring 21 points with 7 rebounds and 8 assists. In individual drills, he showcased a 35-inch vertical leap, while making 60 percent of his 3-point tries.

From here, Frye said he will be going to Las Vegas to compete in the Scorer’s First Showcase, which is at UNLV — the same camp he attended when the Canadian team found him last summer.

He said he plans to work hard and catch someone else’s attention in hopes of securing another spot at the next level.

“If me being cut from my first professional team and having to sit out almost an entire year is God’s way of showing others how awesome He is, then my attitude is ‘Aye, aye Captain’,” Frye said. “Let’s watch Him work!”

Nate Frye

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