Matt Freeman (basketball)

Matt Freeman
Freeman with Karlsruhe in December 2021
Franklin Bulls
PositionPower forward
LeagueNZNBL
Personal information
Born (1997-12-09) 9 December 1997
Auckland, New Zealand
Listed height2.07 m (6 ft 9 in)
Listed weight100 kg (220 lb)
Career information
High schoolWestlake Boys
(Auckland, New Zealand)
College
NBA draft2020: undrafted
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020–2021Gladiators Trier
2021–2022PS Karlsruhe Lions
2022–2023Eisbären Bremerhaven
2023Franklin Bulls
2023–2024SCM U Craiova
2024–2025Budapesti Honvéd SE
2026–presentFranklin Bulls

Matthew Jon Freeman (born 9 December 1997) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the Franklin Bulls of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He played college basketball for the Oklahoma Sooners and UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.

Early life

Freeman was born in Auckland, New Zealand.[1] He attended Westlake Boys High School.[1]

College career

In January 2016, Freeman enrolled at the University of Oklahoma.[1] He played three seasons for the Sooners between 2016 and 2019.[1]

In April 2019, Freeman transferred to UC Santa Barbara.[2]

As a senior with the Gauchos in 2019–20, Freeman averaged 9.4 points per game.[3]

Professional career

In December 2020, Freeman moved to Germany to begin his professional career with Gladiators Trier of the ProA.[4] In 14 games in 2020–21, he averaged 11.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.[5] He was set to play for the Franklin Bulls in the 2021 New Zealand NBL season,[6] but he was unable to debut due to injury.[7]

In September 2021, Freeman signed with PS Karlsruhe Lions for the 2021–22 ProA season.[8] In 34 games, he averaged 10.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.[5]

For the 2022–23 season, Freeman joined Eisbären Bremerhaven. In 38 games, he averaged 9.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.[5]

On 22 May 2023, Freeman signed with the Franklin Bulls for the rest of the 2023 New Zealand NBL season.[7] In 10 games, he averaged 7.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game.[9]

On 3 August 2023, Freeman signed with SCM U Craiova of the Romanian Liga Națională.[10] In 29 games, he averaged 11.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.[5]

In December 2024, Freeman joined Budapesti Honvéd SE of the Hungarian Nemzeti Bajnokság I/A.[5] In 26 games in 2024–25, he averaged 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.[5]

On 8 March 2026, Freeman signed with the Franklin Bulls for the 2026 New Zealand NBL season, returning to the team for a second stint.[11]

National team career

Freeman played for New Zealand at the 2013 FIBA Oceania U16 Championship and the 2014 FIBA Oceania U18 Championship.[12] In 2015, he helped New Zealand win gold at the 2015 FIBA Under-18 3x3 World Championship.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Matt Freeman". soonersports.com. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  2. ^ Buettner, Joe (19 April 2019). "Matt Freeman to transfer to UC-Santa Barbara". The Norman Transcript. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Matt Freeman". ucsbgauchos.com. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Sommerliches Intermezzo in Neuseeland. Matt Freeman unterschreibt für kurze Zeit bei seinem Heimatclub". römerstrom-gladiators.de (in German). 5 February 2021. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Matt Freeman". australiabasket.com. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Bulls sign returning Kiwi star!". bullsbasketball.nz. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Bulls excited to welcome Freeman #9 back for 2023!". bullsbasketball.nz. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  8. ^ Wolff, Gerhard (30 September 2021). "Groß und wurfstark: PSK-Lions-Neuzugang Freeman ist nicht nur hungrig auf Erfolg". Badische Neueste Nachrichten (in German). Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Matt Freeman (ex Bulls) signs at Craiova". australiabasket.com. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Bun venit, Matt Freeman!". facebook.com/SCMCRAIOVA.RO (in Romanian). 3 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Matt Freeman is Back for Bulls". BULLS BASKETBALL. 8 March 2026. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  12. ^ "Matthew Jon Freeman". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
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