Class of 2023 C Owen Freeman (IL) Portal from Creighton

[721Comstock]

I am from the Midwest. I talk with Iowa folks. I think there is animosity with the fanbase as he didn't play through an injury. Iowa was bad the years they were there, so some natural animosity from the fanbase in this era isn't justified, but understandable.

He looks like he plays below the rim. He doesn't seem too athletic. All things that can possibly be system fit, injury related, etc.

This one is a hard one to judge for me. I think proceeding with caution on Freeman is natural. I think OmahaCuse is validated in the fact he has seen him up close.

I think there is a world where he comes here and puts up 12 & 6. I think there is a world where he comes here and puts up 5 & 4 like he did at Creighton. Nothing is a sure thing.

I'll take the guy who has seen him up close the last year. Us folks just looking at his Iowa stats are allowed to be enamored, but let's pump the brakes and give last year at Creighton some actual look.

Yes, let’s.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/owen-freeman-1.html

He went from playing mid 20’s for minutes / game at Iowa,
down to under 12 / game @ Creighton.

His %’s from floor and FT line virtually identical.

Its almost as if him playing less than half his prior minutes,
is why his scoring and rebounding were also less than half his prior averages.

Funny, that.

HaRd pASs!!!

 

[sufan59]

Not trying to damage the kid I promise, as he is a good person. He is a better fit a UNI or similar. Just hoping my message somehow forces staff to do more homework or DD. Have been a diehard fan for 45 years and want us to have the best chance at winning. Don’t want to take hope away from this group so will stop posting on it as have said my peace.

His floor with the advanced metrics is still better than anything we’ve had in a center since Jesse Edwards and Maliq Brown if you want to count him as a center. Not going to dispute that overall for what Creighton wanted him to be he was disappointing. Kalkbrenner is extremely tough to replace and they are very different centers anyway. Our guards and Sadiq are going to be the ones that will likely determine the ceiling of this squad. But a healthy Freeman raises the floor. Perhaps just a mismatch in system at Creighton. Look I think everyone would rather have had Hines, but Freeman is looking to be the best next thing for what Syracuse is likely looking for to round out the 5 position. Granted they have done the due diligence that they feel comfortable offering him and he wants to be a Syracuse Orange.

 

[Nicknack]

One of the issues I have with someone constantly telling us that we shouldn't sign Freeman because of what happened at Creighton is because they're not offering any other option. If not Freeman, then who? We're not going to end up with our dream center like many of us hoped for this portal season. They all have some warts of some kind.

I am confident that Gerry and staff are 4-5 steps ahead of anyone on this board with this kid. There is way too much riding on these portal signings for our coaching staff not to do their due diligence. If the coaches don't really know the full scoop then we clearly signed the wrong head coach.

 

[Melancer46]

Freeman posted a BPM of 7.8 last season for Creighton. The last time we had a player at 7.8 or higher (not including random walk-ons that played like 5 minutes the entire season) was Michael Gbinije. It's been a minute lol

Would also mention his BPM last season was the highest of his 3 years, but the other two were 7.5 and 6.5. we've had a few guys since Gbinije in that neighborhood (Jesse Edwards, Maliq Brown, think maybe one other), but pretty rarified air for us in recent history.

 

[rrlbees]

I'm sure there is nobody on this board that has done more due diligence than gmac and staff. so, if we continue to pursue, they must be satisfied. if there's something there, they're likely to end the recruitment. he visited so our due diligence included face to face. he didn't commit. maybe he wasn't sold or maybe we weren't sold. or maybe we both were but he chooses to still look around.

 

[007]

I'm sure there is nobody on this board that has done more due diligence than gmac and staff. so, if we continue to pursue, they must be satisfied. if there's something there, they're likely to end the recruitment. he visited so our due diligence included face to face. he didn't commit. maybe he wasn't sold or maybe we weren't sold. or maybe we both were but he chooses to still look around.

This is the only reasonable way to think about this from the outside looking in. And to my knowledge, we are all on the outside looking in, even those among us with great connections.

 

[althea]

I more than hear your concerns -- more than most in here.

I’m glad someone hears his concerns because I certainly don’t.
Maybe you can share. What are the concerns other than being potentially injured??

 

[Cusefan0307]

Freeman posted a BPM of 7.8 last season for Creighton. The last time we had a player at 7.8 or higher (not including random walk-ons that played like 5 minutes the entire season) was Michael Gbinije. It's been a minute lol

Would also mention his BPM last season was the highest of his 3 years, but the other two were 7.5 and 6.5. we've had a few guys since Gbinije in that neighborhood (Jesse Edwards, Maliq Brown, think maybe one other), but pretty rarified air for us in recent history.

Agreed. He’s a fine take. Creighton had a lot of issues outside Freeman. Perimeter defense was terrible.

 

[RedtheGOB]

One of the issues I have with someone constantly telling us that we shouldn't sign Freeman because of what happened at Creighton is because they're not offering any other option. If not Freeman, then who? We're not going to end up with our dream center like many of us hoped for this portal season. They all have some warts of some kind.

I am confident that Gerry and staff are 4-5 steps ahead of anyone on this board with this kid. There is way too much riding on these portal signings for our coaching staff not to do their due diligence. If the coaches don't really know the full scoop then we clearly signed the wrong head coach.

100% and obviously this is a market. He ain’t gonna get paid what he did after he was the B10 rookie of the year so without any of us knowing his price or his injury status it’s in the staffs hands. He was on campus,l so now they know

 

[bnoro]

I don't think one person here thinks this kid is going to come in and be an All-American.

I do think people see the potential upside, so they want us to take the chance as there just aren't any sure things in the portal.

To just be like "he failed at Creighton so he'll fail at Syracuse" is too reductive. Being fully healthy with a whole offseason to practice should have him in a better place.

 

[CuseCO]

I’m glad someone hears his concerns because I certainly don’t.
Maybe you can share. What are the concerns other than being potentially injured??

Doesn't have to extend much past the injury concerns, IMO. He missed time his soph and junior years due to injury. Injury points to a likely reason he regressed last year.
I don't play much into the effort concerns from both Iowa and Creighton fan bases, but they are there.
My other concern is that he plays below the rim. Yes, I know, neither did AO. His game I have seen on tape (very limited admittedly) isnt overly inspiring to me.

I think its more than valid to be concerned about a guy who went from 17 and 7 to 5 and 4. He was THE guy at Iowa. I dont hate the kid, I genuinely hope for the best - be it here, STL, etc.
He could crush it here.

 

[djorange1989]

I don't think one person here thinks this kid is going to come in and be an All-American.

I do think people see the potential upside, so they want us to take the chance as there just aren't any sure things in the portal.

To just be like "he failed at Creighton so he'll fail at Syracuse" is too reductive. Being fully healthy with a whole offseason to practice should have him in a better place.

I love positive Bnoro!

 

[Orangezoo]

Looking at all 3 years he played across Iowa and then Creighton this year it stands out in the analytics he hasn’t played with one single decent defender in his time in college and has been the highest rated defender at every stop. That would be a big change coming here with the guys he would be playing around.

So unless he is a locker room cancer, diva whatever there is not anything on the numbers that says he will fail to at least contribute.

 

[sufan59]

I love positive Bnoro!

Really spot on 100% of what people see in a pickup like this

 

[CuseCO]

"I doubt Creighton told him to leave, but I am certain they told him he would be getting a massive pay cut and that he would have to play better if he wanted more minutes.

Creighton is my secondary team, so I watched a lot of games. It was a combination of things as to why he flopped. Mostly, he was beat out as a starter by a better center. That said, he was still recovering from injury and I think that hampered his development. To my eyes, when he did get into games he was effective. I could see him landing somewhere like a Minnesota and being effective. He needs the right coach and system, and Creighton just wasn't that."

"Well he chased and found the $ so in that regard he won cause he wouldn't have gotten as much had he stayed. I don't think Ben woulda wanted him anyway. He wasn't a rim protector type. He isn't skilled offensively all that much. He's pretty one dimensional. Ben woulda played Cam and Banks over him anyway so things just worked out how they were supposed to as far as I'm concerned."

Searching Hawkeye message boards. Found a quote that almost sums up my feel. Seems he was beaten out by someone else, but that coming back from injury played a huge role.

Is GMac/AO and company the staff to get him back to form?

Ultimately, I think it is a risk worth taking if the price is right. I just hope the price is right.

 

[orangepassion]

Somebody want to explain BPM to me and why it matters? I'll throw in a like in exchange

 

[Cusefan0307]

"I doubt Creighton told him to leave, but I am certain they told him he would be getting a massive pay cut and that he would have to play better if he wanted more minutes.

Creighton is my secondary team, so I watched a lot of games. It was a combination of things as to why he flopped. Mostly, he was beat out as a starter by a better center. That said, he was still recovering from injury and I think that hampered his development. To my eyes, when he did get into games he was effective. I could see him landing somewhere like a Minnesota and being effective. He needs the right coach and system, and Creighton just wasn't that."

"Well he chased and found the $ so in that regard he won cause he wouldn't have gotten as much had he stayed. I don't think Ben woulda wanted him anyway. He wasn't a rim protector type. He isn't skilled offensively all that much. He's pretty one dimensional. Ben woulda played Cam and Banks over him anyway so things just worked out how they were supposed to as far as I'm concerned."

Searching Hawkeye message boards. Found a quote that almost sums up my feel. Seems he was beaten out by someone else, but that coming back from injury played a huge role.

Is GMac/AO and company the staff to get him back to form?

Ultimately, I think it is a risk worth taking if the price is right. I just hope the price is right.

Isaac Traut was not better than Freeman. That guy stinks. Again, Creighton was awful. The perimeter guys were particulary bad.

 

[Orangefizz]

I am from the Midwest. I talk with Iowa folks. I think there is animosity with the fanbase as he didn't play through an injury. Iowa was bad the years they were there, so some natural animosity from the fanbase in this era isn't justified, but understandable.

He looks like he plays below the rim. He doesn't seem too athletic. All things that can possibly be system fit, injury related, etc.

This one is a hard one to judge for me. I think proceeding with caution on Freeman is natural. I think OmahaCuse is validated in the fact he has seen him up close.

I think there is a world where he comes here and puts up 12 & 6. I think there is a world where he comes here and puts up 5 & 4 like he did at Creighton. Nothing is a sure thing.

I'll take the guy who has seen him up close the last year. Us folks just looking at his Iowa stats are allowed to be enamored, but let's pump the brakes and give last year at Creighton some actual look.

Another point I haven’t heard mention is that when he was scoring a decent amount at Iowa the point guard feeding him the ball was his high school teammate and knew him best.

Playing with 10 other new players is a recipe for uncertainty

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I love positive Bnoro!

Burner account

 

[baggerbob]

I don't think one person here thinks this kid is going to come in and be an All-American.

I do think people see the potential upside, so they want us to take the chance as there just aren't any sure things in the portal.

To just be like "he failed at Creighton so he'll fail at Syracuse" is too reductive. Being fully healthy with a whole offseason to practice should have him in a better place.

And sometimes coaching along with a better
team atmosphere makes a player better.

 

[Cusester]

I wonder if he left here without an offer?

 

[Melancer46]

Somebody want to explain BPM to me and why it matters? I'll throw in a like in exchange

It stands for Box Plus Minus...basically an attempt to quantify how many points per 100 possessions the player is worth relative to an average player.

Basically double digits is like your MVP level players so he wasn't that but 7.8 is very high. For comparison, William Kyle was 7.3, Kingz 6.0 and then Donnie was next at 3.8.

Duke on the other hand had 4 players above 7.8, including Boozer over 18, which I'm not sure I've ever seen before lol.

 

[orangepassion]

It stands for Box Plus Minus...basically an attempt to quantify how many points per 100 possessions the player is worth relative to an average player.

Basically double digits is like your MVP level players so he wasn't that but 7.8 is very high. For comparison, William Kyle was 7.3, Kingz 6.0 and then Donnie was next at 3.8.

Duke on the other hand had 4 players above 7.8, including Boozer over 18, which I'm not sure I've ever seen before lol.

You sir have earned yourself a like. Congratulations! Don't spend it all in one place.

 

[Franz69]

 

[JaySU22]

It stands for Box Plus Minus...basically an attempt to quantify how many points per 100 possessions the player is worth relative to an average player.

Basically double digits is like your MVP level players so he wasn't that but 7.8 is very high. For comparison, William Kyle was 7.3, Kingz 6.0 and then Donnie was next at 3.8.

Duke on the other hand had 4 players above 7.8, including Boozer over 18, which I'm not sure I've ever seen before lol.

I like the stat because it's sort of encompassing of everything like WAR in baseball. Both stats aren't perfect but it's a decent way to measure overall value of a player.