With one year of eligibility left, players such as BJ Freeman are not only thinking about ending their college career on a high note but also about being at the correct stage that effectively prepares them for a professional career. But that’s not to say that the Wisconsin-Milwaukee guard transfer only has his own personal goals in mind this season and is genuinely looking to elevate this ASU program to heights that have not been seen in Tempe for a while.
Ever since his first contact with Arizona State shortly after entering the portal, the 6-6 215-pound Freeman felt that the Sun Devils highly valued him as the staff created a strong sense of contentment when making that crucial first impression.
“(Assistant Coach) Yusuf Ali was the first (ASU) coach I talked to,” Freeman recalled. “We had a good relationship to begin with. He got me comfortable seeing Arizona State as a place I would love and told me how I would fit in the program and how I can make an impact when I come in, being a veteran guy. They told me that they looked at my background and saw me as a program changer. And that’s how I carry myself, being a player who will help turn the program around and winning. That’s what I breathe; that’s what I live and strive hard for.
“I’m a player who brings fun to the game. A lot of players don’t bring fun to the game and for the fans. But I’m a big fan-pleaser, and I put on a show for the fans, getting them hyped and making them feel like they’re in the game with us. That’s what they loved about me, and that’s what I’m bringing every night.”
Last season Freeman was an All-Horizon League Second Team selection and a Top 20 scorer in the Division I ranks. During the 2023-24 campaign, he saw action in 22 of the Panthers’ 27 games, averaging an impressive 21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, on 42.2% shooting from the field, 35.5% from 3-point range and 82.4% from the line.
In his first year with the Panthers, Freeman earned another Second Team All-Horizon League honors after he averaged 18.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. He led his squad in scoring, rebounding, and free-throw percentage, as his 18.2 ppg scoring clip was the second-highest this century for any Panther.
Arizona State wasn’t the only recruiting trip he took, and Freeman was a transfer player in high demand reportedly visiting Oregon, Providence, Xavier, and Florida State, among others, and garnering interest from programs such as Kentucky, Kansas, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Missouri, Villanova, Arkansas, Colorado, and Texas A&M. During his time in Tempe though, Freeman realized that the experiences he had during that visit backed up the conversations he had with the Sun Devil staff leading up to that April trip.
“I was in Milwaukee, and it was cold down there,” Freeman said, “and the weather situation (at ASU) was a big, big key for me. I knew it was shot here, but when I came off the plane, it was hot. I’m from North Carolina, and the humidity is kind of bad down there, but this heat is a dry heat. The type of nutrition and weight training, and just how the team would take care of me and work me out as a pro, was another thing that made a big impact on me. Those are things I told the coaches that I wanted to work on, and coming from a mid-major program, what I saw (at ASU) was a different level. I missed some games because of a back injury, and when you come to a team like ASU, the trainers will make sure that you’re in tip-top shape, and you don’t have to worry about injuries that can set you back for a couple of weeks like I probably would have to deal with at Milwaukee.
“The genuine love that I felt from the coaching staff, and Coach Hurley who kept on saying what he believed in me, and what he knows that I’m bringing every day…He knows I’m going to try with him to change the program around. I know Arizona State hasn’t been to the Sweet 16 in over 20 years (1995 was ASU’s last appearance at that tournament stage). Ever since I’ve been here, that’s one of the goals I set here.”
Freeman said that not only the level of facilities attracted him to ASU, but the fact that this year, the Sun Devils joined the best conference in college basketball was unquestionably an element that was front and center in his deliberation process.
“It weighed on me a lot,” Freeman commented. “But, I also didn’t really care where I went because I know what I bring every day, and I know what I’m capable of doing. So I wasn’t really too picky on what conference I want to be in. I was picky on who I can trust with my last year of playing and trying to get my name called next year (in the draft). This is a big stage for me, and in my last year, I got to make this one count. All that came through with the trust they showed me and the confidence I had in the staff here.”
The guard said his accomplishments at Milwaukee didn’t surprise him since they were a true reflection of the sacrifices he had made to reach that level of performance. He was disappointed that he and his teammates didn’t make the NCAA tournament during his two years with the Panthers (losing in the Horizon League championship game last season) and that not playing a full season due to his back injury delayed his entry to the NBA draft. Freeman’s decision to join Arizona State was made knowing that he could achieve those goals in Tempe, and in summer workouts, he has seen the early signs that validate his belief.
“We spend a lot of time with each other to build that family bond,” Freeman noted. “All we have is each other here, and when you build that strong core once you step on that floor from the first game, the chemistry is already there. Fans are gonna see that and be excited because you’re gonna get a great brand of ASU Sun Devil basketball.
“I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in. I’m getting stronger, getting faster, and this is going to be probably the best BJ Freeman version anyone has seen in college basketball. This ASU team could be one of the best teams, if not the best team you guys have seen in a real long time under Bobby Hurley. Like I keep preaching, we haven’t been in the Sweet 16 in over 20 years. I hold that high standard because I’m very hard on myself, I love winning so much, and I’m passionate for it.
“We’re coming to practice every day, and I go and talk to the guys in the locker room, making sure everybody’s goals are the same. If everybody has the same goals, it’s more realistic that we can make them happen. I know the coaches believe the same thing I believe, and we are all bonding as a team to make that dream come true.”
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