Trent Frazier is a key contributor for Brad Underwood’s Illinois squad, and teammate Jacob Grandison has one interesting nickname he uses for Frazier.

Frazier is a senior guard who has carved out a role as a starter for the Illini. He has started 88 games in his career, including starting in all 12 games to start the 2020-21 season.

With a host of talent on this year’s team, Frazier is actually seeing a career-low mark in field goal attempts per game despite playing a career-high number of minutes per game. He is still putting up per game marks of 9.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 39% from three-point range.

During a Saturday media zoom session, Grandison touched on Frazier, and it was actually Frazier’s work on the defensive end of the floor. Grandison labeled him “a rat” for his disruptive nature:

“I always mess with him in practice that he’s like a rat,” said Grandison. “If he ever makes a good play, I’ll get up in his ear and make little rat noises. If he gets a steal or something he’ll look at me (with rat noises).”

Jeremy Werner with 247 Sports shared a video of Grandison’s remarks:

Frazier is averaging 1.3 steals per game in his career and is second this season for the Illini at one steal per game.