FAIRFAX, Va. – In the ever-evolving sport of college basketball, the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways is becoming more and more critical. 
 
Mason freshmen Otis Frazier III and Malik Henry embrace that versatility and possess the ability to make their teammates better with an arsenal of skills. 
 
It all amounts to a bright future for a pair of stud recruits from the Sun Belt.
 
Frazier III, who hails from Buckeye, Ariz., is a 6-foot-6-inch wing who played his high school ball in the Copper State before enrolling for a prep year at Mt. Zion Prep in Lanham, Md. During that year, Mason head coach Dave Paulsen started swinging by team practices and was impressed with Frazier's ability to play and defend four positions on the court.
 
"Mt. Zion runs a fairly complicated offensive system and when I went to their practice, Otis always knew what every guy should be doing," Paulsen said. "He gives us a lot of versatility offensively, and defensively. I think his IQ, his skill set and his leadership potential all scream potential star here at Mason."
 
With Frazier a part of the Warrior roster, Mt. Zion earned and kept a spot in the top-10 of the National Prep Coaches Poll throughout the 2019-20 campaign. Frazier III averaged 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in the 2020 National Prep Tournament, which included a victory over No. 8 Sunrise Christian.
 
Frazier III relished the experience of playing against such top competition in his final year of pre-collegiate ball.
 
"I took so many positives from my prep year," Frazier III said.  I think if I hadn't done it, my path would've been different. I matured while I was there and had the opportunity to compete against top talent every day. Guys who are on the same path as you are trying to do the same thing and are working just as hard as you are."
 
Now at Mason, Frazier III is setting his sights on how to benefit his team the most as he enters his first collegiate season.
 
"I take pride in defense - that's the biggest thing for me," Frazier III said. "I want to be able to lock up the best players and still do my job at the same time. That's how I want to establish myself this year and try to be an impact freshman in this league."
 
Frazier III's on-court talent always impressed Paulsen, but the sixth-year Mason head coach has noticed his attitude off of it is just as beneficial.
 
"He's been a great teammate," Paulsen said. "He's been engaged in every practice. He's encouraging his teammates and cheering them on. He's shown me some things which make me excited about his character."
 
Henry, a 6-foot-8-inch forward, comes to Mason from Longview, Texas, where he was ranked as a top-50 power forward nationally by Rivals.com. A big who does a little bit of everything on the court, Henry's versatility will prove valuable for Mason at the forward position.
 
"Malik has a relentless work ethic and he runs the court as well as any frontcourt guy I've ever coached," Paulsen said. "He's also an elite shot blocker. He's improving at a tremendous rate, so I think the future is incredibly bright for him."
 
In football-crazed East Texas, Henry turned Longview High into a basketball school during an incredible four-year stretch with the program. The 2020 East Texas Player of the Year, Henry earned Texas 6A All-State honors as a senior and garnered the 11-6A Defensive Player of the Year Award in both 2019 and 2020. An 1,000-point scorer, he averaged 14.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and blocked 94 shots as a senior while compiling 15 double-doubles. 
 
When making his college decision, Mason's culture stood out during the process.
 
"I had a good talk with my coaches and my parents," Henry said. "I thought Mason was the best fit for me. The coaches here made me feel like I was already home when I came to visit."
 
Now in his first semester, Henry is prepared to put his head down and help the team in any way he can.
 
"I try to be humble and let my game speak for itself. I don't like to do a lot of talking," Henry said. "This year, I want to improve my shot blocking, be patient on offense and maximize my ability to score."
 
He has appreciated the mentorship and advice of AJ Wilson, who plays with the explosiveness and skill set Henry hopes to perfect during his four years at Mason. And as a freshman, he wants to be able to push Wilson every day in practice, to help the 2019 A-10 Most Improved Player take his game to the next level this season.
 
In addition to Wilson, Henry is picking up information and advice from wherever he can get it within the program.
 
"Malik is a sponge," Paulsen said. "He just wants to learn. He soaks up knowledge from [assistant coach] Maurice Joseph and from the older guys. He's fit in so well with the culture of the team. Our guys love him."