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Lincoln Native Braden Frager Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week

A dominant week, an MVP award, and a rising role. Here’s why Braden Frager is turning heads early.
Trevor Tarr|
Nebraska basketball forward Braden Frager, who averages 12.5 pts, 4.2 reb for the Huskers this season.
Nebraska basketball forward Braden Frager, who averages 12.5 pts, 4.2 reb for the Huskers this season. | Nebraska Athletics

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Nebraska Cornhuskers

Braden Frager’s breakout start to the season earned national attention Monday, as the redshirt freshman forward was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

The Lincoln native, Nebraska’s first recipient of the honor since Jamarques Lawrence in 2023, averaged 18.0 points and 7.0 rebounds last week while helping the Huskers remain unbeaten on the year.

Frager has already carved out a major early-season role, scoring in double figures in four of Nebraska’s first six games and leading the team in scoring twice. With plenty of basketball left in the 2025–26 campaign, here’s a look at why he earned the award and what his rising impact could mean as the schedule begins to stiffen up.

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Braden Frager, who scored 16 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in the Huskers' 86-85 win over Kansas
Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Braden Frager, who scored 16 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, in the Huskers' 86-85 win over Kansas State. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

During Nebraska’s undefeated run at the Hall of Fame Classic, Frager delivered one of the most efficient stretches of any freshman in the country. Across the two games, he totaled 36 points and 14 rebounds while shooting better than 70% from the floor and over 50% from three. His performance earned him Hall of Fame Classic MVP honors and helped push Nebraska to a 6–0 start, extending the Huskers’ win streak to double-digits dating back to last season.

What makes those numbers even more impressive is the fact that Frager is doing all of it off the bench. The 6-foot-7 forward has yet to start a game this fall, but if his trajectory continues trending upward, that could change. Even so, his spark in the second unit carries real value for this team.

Averaging 19.5 minutes per game, Frager has consistently been the first Husker off the bench and still ranks third on the team in scoring. He’s shooting 63.6% from the field and 42.3% from beyond the arc — marks that rank among the best on the roster.

Frager’s emergence comes at a critical time for a Nebraska team looking to prove its early-season success is sustainable as the competition ramps up. The Huskers entered the year expecting experienced returners to carry the load, but Frager’s efficiency and confidence have added a new dimension to Fred Hoiberg’s rotation, and one that certainly elevates Nebraska’s offensive ceiling.

His ability to score at all three levels gives Nebraska a reliable option behind its veterans, and his off-ball movement has paired well with the Huskers’ system to this point. Even more encouraging for the coaching staff is Frager’s poise. Whether it was responding to Kansas State’s late-game runs or providing instant offense in the opening minutes against New Mexico, he’s shown the steadiness of a player far more experienced than a redshirt freshman.

If his role continues to grow, Nebraska becomes significantly more versatile. Frager’s size on the wing allows Hoiberg to play bigger lineups without sacrificing shooting, while his quick-release perimeter game forces defenses to stay honest. That versatility could prove vital as the Huskers navigate the physical style of Big Ten play in the months ahead.

For now, Nebraska is simply benefiting from a young player finding his stride at the perfect time. But if Frager keeps producing at this level, his breakout won’t just be a bright spot in November, it could become one of the defining storylines of the Huskers’ season.

Nebraska returns home Tuesday night for a matchup with Winthrop, a 3–3 team that has shown flashes offensively but has only faced one group with the level of depth and physicality that Nebraska possesses. The Huskers enter as heavy favorites, yet the timing of the game makes focus and energy just as important as talent.

Coming off an emotional, wire-to-wire battle with Kansas State in Kansas City, Tuesday’s contest has the potential to be a classic “letdown spot”. The kind where slow starts can hang around longer than expected. That’s where Frager’s continued production becomes even more valuable. His ability to generate instant offense off the bench has repeatedly jump-started the Huskers' scoring on numerous occasions, and another assertive outing would go a long way in settling Nebraska in early.

Winthrop brings a balanced scoring attack and enough pace to keep teams honest, but Nebraska’s length on the perimeter and improving rebounding should give Hoiberg’s group the upper hand if it plays with the urgency it showed last week. A strong showing Tuesday would help the Huskers maintain their unbeaten start while building rhythm ahead of a far more challenging December stretch.

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Trevor Tarr
TREVOR TARR

Trevor Tarr is the founder of Skers Scoop, a Nebraska football media outlet delivering original coverage through writing, graphics, and video content. He began his career in collegiate athletics at the University of South Dakota, producing media for the football team and assisting with athletic fundraising. A USD graduate with a background in journalism and sports marketing, Trevor focuses on creative, fan-driven storytelling in college football.

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