March 17, 2025
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Former Journal Boys Basketball POY Freeman hits transfer portal

Last year’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year leaving Iowa

By Mason Schweizer
Iowa's Owen Freeman (32) attempts to block a shot from Wisconsin's Steven Crowl during an NCAA men's basketball game at Carver-Hawkeye arena at the University of Iowa Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Iowa's Owen Freeman (32) attempts to block a shot from Wisconsin's Steven Crowl during an NCAA men's basketball game at Carver-Hawkeye arena at the University of Iowa Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. (Daily Journal/Mason Schweizer)

The biggest name to hit the NCAA men’s basketball transfer portal this season has local ties.

Owen Freeman, a former Bradley-Bourbonnais all-state star and the 2022 Daily Journal Boys Basketball Player of the Year, announced on his X account Saturday that he intends to transfer from the University of Iowa. The news came less than 24 hours after the Hawkeyes parted ways with longtime coach Fran McCaffery following their loss to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals Thursday.

“I am forever grateful for my two yers in Iowa City,” Freeman said in his post. “Being able to play for the Black and Gold has been nothing but amazing. Iowa City will always hold a place in my heart.

“With that being said, and with the recent coaching change, my family and I have decided that it would be in my best interests to enter the transfer portal.”

Freeman, who transferred to Moline for his senior year and won the Class 4A state title his senior year in 2023, had success from the jump with the Hawkeyes. Last year, he was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year by the media and Co-Freshman of the Year by coaches after averaging 10.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game for the Hawkeyes, suiting up in all 35 games.

His solo success continued into the start of his sophomore season, upping his scoring average to 16.7 points per game on 64% shooting while maintaining his rebounding (6.7 per game) and blocked shots (1.8 per game), but 19 games into the season he was sidelined with a finger injury.

He had surgery and was ruled out for the season in February, leading the team in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. The 6-foot-10 sophomore will have two years of NCAA eligibility remaining.

Freeman is entering the portal with a “do not contact” tag, which means schools are not allowed to reach out to him, only he can reach out to schools he is interested in. He initially chose Iowa over several other Power Four conference schools, including Illinois, Michigan State, Indiana, Marquette, Purdue, Butler, Ohio State and Wake Forest. His younger brother, current Moline senior Braden Freeman, is committed to California Poly Tech.