Owen Freeman, Brock Harding Growing Together

Hawkeye Freshmen Helping Each Other Through Acclimation Process

Owen Freeman and Brock Harding won a state championship together at Moline (Ill.) High School in March.

They’re still together in their new college home.

Freeman and Harding are at Iowa now, dealing with those summer-before-freshman-year growing pains.

“It’s good, because you have somebody to look forward to, to talk to,” said Harding, a 6-foot-1 point guard. “We’re going through the same things as freshmen at a Big Ten school, and we get to share that. It’s nice to have somebody to go to.”

“It’s really good to have someone you’re super-close with go with you for the journey, be someone I can go talk to, whenever I need that,” said Freeman, a 6-11 center. “It’s really good to have that.”

Freeman transferred from Bradley-Bourbannais (Ill.) High School to play with Harding, a teammate in AAU basketball. Freeman was the first commitment to Iowa’s 2023 class, and when Harding got an offer from the Hawkeyes, Freeman went to work.

“I always wanted to play with Brock,” Freeman said. “Brock’s a great player, and I wanted to continue to play with him. When he got the offer (from Iowa), I was hyping him up, texting him all of the time. He was finally able to make that decision.”

Now the two are trying to find their spots at positions where there is plenty of competition.

Harding is in a backcourt that includes senior Tony Perkins, sophomores Dasonte Bowen and Josh Dix, and fellow freshman Pryce Sandfort.

“We’ve got a bunch of guys who work hard,” Harding said. “We go at it every day in practice. On the court, we go after each other. Off the court, we’re close, hang out with each other.”

Freeman will be competing for interior time with transfers Ben Krikke and Even Brauns, fifth-year senior Patrick McCaffery, junior Riley Mulvey and freshman Ladji Dembele.

“It took me a little bit (adjusting) going from high school,” Freeman said. “Now you’re playing against grown men. I think I’ve adjusted well.”

The adjustments haven’t been about the pace of the game. It’s been more about the power.

“There’s a lot that goes into (playing) the big,” Freeman said. “Just learning the offense goes through us, and the physicality.”

“The speed hasn’t been that (bad),” Harding said. “The strength is the biggest thing. We’re in the weight room every day, we have to be more physical. Learning that way to play is the most important thing.”

Harding knows the challenge of his position, and he thinks he is equipped for it.

“I’d say just my basketball IQ,” Harding said, when asked about his strengths. "The way I’ve had that, it’s always been a part of my game in the point-guard role, and it’s translated well to the college level.”

Harding was Illinois’ Mr. Basketball last season, showing a tenacity that Iowa coach Fran McCaffery appreciates.

“He’s always been that way,” McCaffery said. “Very competitive, phenomenally confident in himself and his ability to make plays.”

Both players know there are minutes to be found in Iowa’s rotation. Getting on the court together is the next big step.

“That’s my goal,” Freeman said. “That’s what I’m working for. But that’s everyone’s goal. I’m just trying to put the work in, make sure it happens.”