Freeman is the first Akron Zip selected in the NBA Draft since 1987.
For the first time since 1987, the Akron Zips are represented at the NBA Draft.
At pick No. 50 in the second round, the Indiana Pacers selected Akron power forward Enrique Freeman.
Freeman is the first Akron alumnus off the board in since Marcel Boyce went in the sixth round 37 years ago. He is also the second-highest Zip selected in NBA history, following Fritz Nagy — the 11th overall pick in the 1947 draft, the first in the league’s history. Overall, Freeman is the ninth player drafted from Akron in NBA history.
Freeman also extends the streak of Mid-American Conference NBA Draft selections. The MAC has now been represented in the second round of four consecutive drafts — the longest streak since the NBA Draft was reduced to two rounds in 1989. Freeman joins Ohio’s Jason Preston (2021), Toledo’s Ryan Rollins (2022), and Eastern Michigan’s Emoni Bates (2023) as recent selections from the conference.
Freeman enjoyed one of the more unique journeys to the NBA Draft stage. He first enrolled at Akron in 2019 with an academic scholarship, but decided to test his mettle in a walk-on tryout. Freeman earned a roster spot but only saw 13 minutes of action during his freshman campaign in 2019-20. Akron quickly discovered the walk-on’s talent and offered him a scholarship before his sophomore season. Freeman skyrocketed several inches to 6’7” that summer and excelled in his new frame. He qualified for the All-MAC Defensive Team in 2020-21 — an honor he received in each of his last four seasons as a Zip. In 2022, he took home MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Freeman’s offensive game also blossomed as his tenure at Akron progressed. He earned Second Team All-MAC honors in 2022 before upgrading to First Team in 2023 and 2024. In 2024, he was the MAC Player of the Year and an honorable mention for the AP All-American team. In his last season, he averaged career-highs in points (18.9), rebounds 12.9, and steals (0.8) per game, all while blocking 1.7 shots per game and shooting with efficient 59/37/73 splits.
Shot-blocking and efficiency were attributes Freeman mastered from his early days as a starter. He averaged more than one block per game for four consecutive years and left campus with a career field goal percentage of 62.8%, while making massive strides as a three-point marksman and free throw shooter during his final season.
Freeman joins an Indiana Pacers franchise fresh off their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2014. The Pacers defeated the 3-seed Bucks and 2-seed Knicks during their impressive playoff run, excelling behind a fast-paced, high-octane offense led by the duo of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. With former NBA champion head coach Rick Carlisle at the helm, Indiana also built a brand of exhibiting impressive depth, utilizing deeper 9-man and 10-man rotations throughout the postseason — with a 22-year old rookie in Ben Sheppard serving as a staple in the rotation.
Freeman, who turns 24 in July, hopes to be an NBA-ready rookie who can crack such a rotation soon. The 50th overall pick will likely participate as part of the Pacers’ Summer League roster in July, proving his worth before he steps foot onto an NBA court.