Grand Canyon basketball player Oscar Frayer died Tuesday morning in a car accident just three days after participating in his first career at the NCAA Tournament with the Antelopes. He was 23 years old.
The car accident was reported at 2:30 am, according to authorities. Frayer and two other passengers were traveling on I-5 SB south of Walnut Grove Road. when the vehicle collided with the back of a California Highway Patrol car that was on the side of the road helping a disabled trailer. After the collision, their vehicle continued on a tree and caught fire. All three passengers were pronounced dead at the scene.
CHP policemen suffered serious injuries after their patrol vehicle was sent to a landfill in the accident, but they are expected to survive.
“We love O,” said Grand Canyon coach Bryce Drew in a statement. “He was the heart of our team with his vibrant and energetic personality. I cannot express in words the pain and sadness that we all feel, but we know that he is in heaven and it gives us great joy to know that we will be together again.”
On Saturday, Frayer, a senior, drew the best of the season with five assists and three blocks, adding eight points and three rebounds. His big day was highlighted by a huge blow to Connor McCaffery from Iowa as he climbed the ladder to complete a remarkable chase block.
Frayer originally committed to Cal as a high school recruit, but later dropped out and signed on to the Grand Canyon program under Dan Majerle in 2016. His high heels earned him considerable hype as one of the top 200 recruits and he immediately produced with the Lopes, averaging 7.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as a freshman in a team that won 22 games.
After starting a record of 30 career games as a junior in 2018-19, Frayer in 2019-20 was deemed ineligible to compete. Without Frayer and transfer TCU Jaylen Fisher, Majerle was 13-17 and was subsequently fired. But Frayer returned this season with new coach Bryce Drew on a “pay off” mission, he said last fall, adding that he did not want to give up his support system that believed in him. As a result, he started all 24 games in the 2020-2021 season, helping to guide the team to their first appearance in an NCAA tournament at the level of the first division.