Why Overtime Elite coach is thrilled to see standout leave to join KU basketball
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Rosario joins KU after leading YNG Dreamerz to 2025 OTE championship title.
- Coach Frazier cites Rosario’s scoring, defense and rebounding as key assets.
- Rosario expected to complement Peterson, boosting KU’s offensive options.
Incoming Kansas Jayhawks freshman Kohl Rosario has plenty of fans at the Overtime Elite facility.
Plus, a healthy list of coaches who are happy to no longer face Rosario on a basketball court.
One of those coaches is Corey Frazier. He is not only the head coach of the RWE team in the OTE league, he also coached Rosario in the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague in Abu Dhabi.
Frazier is plenty familiar with Rosario’s game. He believes he’s ready to play college ball. Rosario recently reclassified to the class of 2025 and joined KU in June.
“He’s mature; he’s ready for it,” Frazier told The Star. “There’s not doubt about it. Him reclassifying shocked everybody, but after coaching him, this kid can handle it.”
As for what Frazier told him when Rosario committed to KU?
“My biggest thing was, thank God I don’t have to coach against him anymore,” Frazier said. “(I told him), ‘I’m happy that you know you’re going to a good place and you’re going to develop.’”
Rosario played for the YNG Dreamerz, the team that won the 2024-25 Overtime Elite championship. He averaged 13.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.1 assists per game during OTE’s postseason tournament. He also shot 41.4% from 3-point range.
That shooting skill is something lacking on the 2025-26 Jayhawks roster. Currently, only one player (Jayden Dawson) shot above 35% on 3-pointers last season.
Frazier believes shooting is one of the many things Rosario can add to coach Bill Self’s KU roster.
“I think he can contribute shooting-wise, but we know when you get to collegiate basketball, you’ve got to earn your playing time on the defensive end,” Frazier said. “I think he competes enough to (earn) some time for himself, but he does so many other things — he can rebound finish at the rim, finish above the rim and finish through contact.
“His shooting is a premium, but he does other things well.”
Frazier expects Rosario to play two or three seasons of college hoops before eventually leaving to chase his NBA dreams.
For at least some of that time in Lawrence, Rosario will compete alongside fellow OTE alums Bryson Tiller and Samis Calderon. The pair committed to KU in November.
“I’m sure it makes the transition easier for all three, because they are all familiar with each other,” Frazier said. “I think I can expect them to all kind of become their own little OTE family.”
As for what advice Frazier gave Rosario as he prepares to play in college, the coach said he told Rosario to focus on putting the ball on the floor and creating for himself, so he’s not labeled a “catch-and-shoot” guy.
Frazier knows that Rosario will also be playing alongside incoming top Jayhawks recruit Darryn Peterson. Peterson is a projected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which will undoubtedly bring a lot of eyeballs to Lawrence — and on his teammates.
Frazier offered some insight as to how Rosario can build a repertoire with Peterson.
“If I’m those two, I’m trying to figure out how we can spend time together,” Frazier said. “I’m learning his (Peterson’s) game as much as I can and probably stay and rebound for you a little, so when it comes to kickouts, I’m here, I’m your man.”
Frazier is rooting for Rosario. He’s also excited that he doesn’t have to game-plan against him ever again.
“The team that he played with, a lot of things were going through other guys,” Frazier said. “... (T)his guy here (Rosario) is like an X-factor for them (KU). You don’t find X-factors that give you that much with rebounding, defending and finishing.
“Plus, his ability to score the basketball and (trying) to keep him off the free-throw line with everything else. So it’s hard to prepare for a kid like that.”
