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Akron Zips great Enrique Freeman feels love from Pacers during HS hoops jersey retirement
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- Akron Zips great Enrique Freeman feels love from Pacers during HS hoops jersey retirement
CLEVELAND — Enrique Freeman admitted he attempted to play it cool, but his Indiana Pacers teammates knew the former University of Akron star deserved their full support.
St. Martin de Porres High School retired the basketball jersey number Freeman wore for the Lions as a teenager, and the entire Pacers squad attended the ceremony in Cleveland on the eve of their 108-93 win over the Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse .
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"I tried to keep it on the down-low, and then they're like, 'Rique, what do you mean? This is amazing. We're all showing up,'" Freeman told the Beacon Journal on Sunday after the Pacers-Cavs game. "Once they found out, they all were like, 'Oh, we're all going.'"
Indiana Pacers forward Enrique Freeman, left, watches a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers from the bench on Jan. 12, 2025, in Cleveland.
A Cleveland native, Freeman didn't play in the 2024-25 Pacers' first regular-season game against the Cavs (33-5). Freeman is on a two-way contract, meaning he plays for the Pacers (22-18) and their NBA G League affiliate, the Indiana Mad Ants. The Pacers ruled him out in the buildup to tipping off with the Cavs. He sat at the end of Indiana's bench in jeans and a navy blue St. Martin de Porres Lions sweatshirt.
Freeman faced the Cavs in the preseason on Oct. 10 but has yet to play them in the regular season. His most recent homecoming, however, still proved to be special.
Pacers show support as Enrique Freeman 's high school jersey number is retired during their trip to Cleveland
St. Martin de Porres, a small Catholic school on St. Clair Avenue, had never retired a number before it honored Freeman on Saturday night, he said. Freeman explained he hopes students who see his old No. 3 jersey displayed will learn about his improbable journey from an open tryout participant at Akron to a walk-on with the Zips to an NBA draft pick.
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"It's so sweet to be the first to do anything," he said. "It's what you try to strive for. It's what the greats do.
"It's very inspiring. I think that's the goal of me going back [to my high school]. A lot of those kids look up to me. They're in the position that I was years ago. If it's basketball or not, they have the ability to achieve their dreams."
During Indiana coach Rick Carlisle's pregame media availability, he went out of his way to congratulate Freeman for receiving the honor, adding the Pacers showing up to St. Martin de Porres is indicative of how fond they are of the rookie forward.
"He's going to work hard," Pacers guard Quenton Jackson said. "He's going to have your back. He'll give you everything he's got — 100% all the time. Rique's just a good all-around kid, humble, all the words that describe anything good.
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"Pure soul. I don't think he's got a bad bone in his body, and that's the kind of people I like to be around. Good energy. Good vibes."
Indiana Pacers forward Enrique Freeman watches from the bench as the Pacers play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 12, 2025, in Cleveland.
At least two dozen relatives and friends greeted the 6-foot-7, 215-pound Freeman in the stands near the visiting team's tunnel after the Pacers beat the Cavs. He flashed the smile Akron knows well, chatted with loved ones and posed for photographs.
"I have nothing but good things to say about that dude, and I'm glad he got his recognition," Pacers guard Ben Sheppard said, referencing the jersey dedication at St. Martin de Porres.
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"He plays hard, and I think that's what gets him on the floor. His motor's great. He can shoot the ball, too. He's kind of an undersized big, but that doesn't determine anything that he does on the floor. He works harder than everybody, so he's just a great utility player, and I'm excited to see how his game grows."
Akron Zips forward Enrique Freeman (25) drives against Ohio forward AJ Clayton during the second half of a Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinal March 15, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
How former Akron Zips star Enrique Freeman is developing in his first NBA season with the Pacers
The Pacers are pleased with Freeman's progress. He has appeared in 18 of their games, averaging 1.8 points on 48% shooting from the field, one rebound and 7.5 minutes. He has also played in four G League games, averaging 17.8 points on 63.3% shooting from the floor, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, one steal, one blocked shot and 33.6 minutes.
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"He has great enthusiasm," Carlisle said. "He has an infectious spirit and a desire to get better. This past week when Myles Turner missed a game, we had a G League game that afternoon. We sat [Freeman] in the G League game anticipating that we would probably need him that night, and he went in and did a very good job. So he's been ready when called upon."
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Akron Zips forward Enrique Freeman (25) autographs the lens of a videocamera after the Zips defeated Kent State 62-61 in the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game March 16, 2024, in Cleveland.
With Turner sidelined on Jan. 8, Freeman compiled six points, four rebounds and an assist in 16 minutes. The Pacers beat the Chicago Bulls 129-113.
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"I've been learning a lot as a rookie, but I think it's been great," Freeman said. "It's been great for my development. Playing in the G is such a great way as a player to get better, and it's a matter of opportunity. I'm just staying ready for my window.
"I'm reinventing my game. I'm more a perimeter player now and working to get out of the post, but also use that as my strength and my advantage."
Indiana Pacers forward Enrique Freeman, right, watches from the bench as the Pacers play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 12, 2025, in Cleveland.
Akron Zips basketball great Enrique Freeman has growing confidence about his long-term outlook in the NBA
For Freeman's performance last season at Akron, he was voted the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year and Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention. In June, the Pacers drafted him in the second round (No. 50 overall). Since then, Freeman has increasingly convinced himself he can have a lengthy NBA career.
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"I came into this opportunity feeling that way," he said, "and as I keep going, that feeling gets stronger and stronger."
More on Enrique Freeman: Pacers welcome former Akron Zips star: 'He checked a lot of those boxes'
Freeman, 24, is the definition of a self-made player. He arrived at Akron in 2018 on an academic scholarship. The open tryout in which he excelled is now part of UA lore and resulted in him joining the Zips as a walk-on prior to the 2019-20 season. He ascended to become the first UA player drafted by an NBA franchise since 1987.
Sheppard said, "I don't think there's ever been anyone with that type of story." Carlisle added, "He's a great story, not your typical draft pick in today's NBA."
Akron Zips forward Enrique Freeman celebrates with coach John Groce as the Zips lead late in the second half against Bradley, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.
With the Indiana Pacers , Enrique Freeman has found John Groce 2.0
Freeman said he's meshing well with the Pacers and enjoys playing for Carlisle, who reminds him of Zips coach John Groce.
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"He's amazing. He's like Groce 2.0," Freeman said. "They're both basketball wizards . They approach the game with that same demeanor. He coaches hard, and he expects a lot from his players."
Freeman also cherishes his new teammates and the way they have embraced him. St. Martin de Porres witnessed the bond firsthand.
"My little high school, my little gym, for everybody to just show up and just show love, that was amazing," Freeman said. "When people show love, it's great. I wouldn't expect that, but they do the unexpected."
Freeman does, too, as evidenced by his path to the Pacers.
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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Pacers show Enrique Freeman love as his high school jersey is retired
