College Prospect Spotlight: University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee's BJ Freeman
The 2024 NBA Draft is less than five months away, meaning the prospects in this upcoming class are reaching the final months of having the opportunity to compete in game action before the pre-draft process begins.
There's always a handful of college players who don't get as much national attention as they deserve, but are incredible players that could make an impact at the next level.
For this week’s spotlight, we take a look at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee guard BJ Freeman, who has legitimate NBA talent.
BJ Freeman (Guard | University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Panthers)
6'6” | 200 lbs
Season Stats: 17.5 PPG | 6.1 RPG | 4.1 APG | 37.8% 3PT
Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Background
Freeman played at Moravian Prep at the high school level, which gave him exposure to playing against premier competition. From there, he spent a season at Dodge City Community College. Now in his second campaign at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Freeman has put together a sample size of work that is worthy of a look from NBA teams in his third collegiate season.
With the ability to stuff the stat sheet and impact the game in a variety of ways, there's plenty to like about Freeman's game. He also boasts fantastic positional size at 6-foot-6 and only continues to get better as his college career goes on. His work ethic and attention to detail have allowed him to develop rapidly over the past several years.
NBA Upside
Whether his team needs him to score himself or facilitate for others, Freeman can do it all offensively. He's a three-level scorer with an improved perimeter jumper. While his efficiency certainly has room to improve, there's no question he is a natural when it comes to getting a bucket with a skillset on the offensive end that will translate at the NBA level. Getting it done on both ends of the floor, Freeman has earned a 72 PSP and 71 DSI from Cerebro Sports which speaks to the two-way impact. Not only does he have the ability to produce points, but he also holds his own defensively.
Perhaps the most impressive improvement from his first to second season with the Panthers is the ability to crash the boards and generate assists. Freeman is currently averaging more than six rebounds and four assists per contest, along with the ability to score 20 points on any given night. In fact, he leads his team in scoring, assists and rebounds at 6-foot-6. When it comes to do-it-all players who can slot into a rotation early in their professional career, Freeman fits the mold.
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