Notre Dame girls basketball assistant helps coach at NBA Combine

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - The 2022 NBA Combine took place in Chicago from May 16 to 22. Helping coach some of the prospects through their workouts was Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) girls varsity assistant coach Matt Floyd.

“It’s crazy because that’s kind of what you dream about,” said Floyd. “You walk on the court and the NBA logo is everywhere. You look in the stands and see all these coaches from NBA teams and different reps and agents.”

The opportunity came from a connection that Floyd made in high school.

“It all starts with my biggest mentor who’s really shaped who I’ve become as a coach and a trainer, Corey Frazier,” said Floyd. “I was down in Atlanta helping him with some of his workouts, and that’s when he asked me if I’d be able to go help out at the Combine. That’s something you can’t really say no to.”

Frazier, a Charleston, MO native, was Floyd’s high school basketball trainer. With Frazier’s help, Floyd was able earn a walk-on spot at the Division I level with Southeast Missouri State. The two have stayed in close contact ever since.

Frazier moved to Atlanta for a new role as a skills trainer with Overtime Elite, a basketball academy that trains some of the top athletes in the country. Earlier this year when a few of the prospects for the NBA Combine began training with Overtime Elite, Frazier asked Floyd to come to Atlanta to help with the workouts.

“He came down to Atlanta, and I don’t think he knew what he was getting into when he came down,” said Frazier. “I’m in the gym about 10 hours a day...but when he got here he was like ‘lets get on the court, lets work.’”

After Floyd was familiarized with how the sessions were run in Atlanta and also seeing his work ethic, it was an easy decision for Frazier to invite him to help at the Combine.

“When you’re at the Combine and it’s a Pro Day, you have to put (the prospects) through certain things, and things they’ve done before,” said Frazier. “(Matt) knew most of the things we were putting them through, so he was prepared for that.”

Another surprise came when Floyd found out he would be leading one of the sessions at the Combine in front of all the NBA coaches and scouts.

“The night before, we got in and I was like, ‘hey Matt you’re going to be running the guards,’” said Frazier. “He looked at me with this blank stare like, ‘are you serious?’”

Floyd embraced the challenge.

“I think I spent all night preparing, trying to get ready for that workout,” Floyd said. “I had it all written down in case I forgot.”

Everything went according to plan, and Frazier was very happy for his understudy.

“He did a phenomenal job teaching on that end of the court, so I was proud,” said Frazier. “I want to make sure that you’re the best version of yourself when it comes to basketball, and for Matt it was the mentoring off the court and what he should look for when he’s trying to further his career...He’s come a long way, and from here he can only go up.”

For Frazier, this was an opportunity to bring his colleagues from back home onto a national spotlight.

“My Missouri guys came, and I wanted them to showcase their talents and that they can train at that level too,” Frazier said. “They can walk away saying they got the chance to do something that not many people get the chance to do: train guys in front of the entire NBA at the NBA Combine in 2022.”

“That was everything to me.”

Floyd’s time in Chicago was like a “dream.” Now with NBA Combine experience in his back pocket, he is more ready than ever to continue his passion for coaching.

“Regardless of what level you’re working with, you want to help them reach their goals,” said Floyd. “Whether it’s a youth player trying to play high school...or a college guy trying to make the NBA, to be a small part of that is pretty special.”

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