AKRON, Ohio — Enrique Freeman began his career with the University of Akron's Men's Basketball Team as a walk-on. He was so nervous he almost didn't try out. He threw up in a trash can at the tryouts. Freeman pushed through and made the team. Thanks to hard work and belief in himself, Freeman went on to be one of the most successful players in program history—and was recognized for it Tuesday night.
It was a busy Tuesday for Freeman, who had practice with the Indiana Pacers, the team that selected him in the 2024 NBA Draft, that day. After a hard day of NBA work, Freeman hopped on a plane to get back to Akron as quickly as possible. He had a game to attend.
Tuesday night inside James A. Rhodes Arena was "Enrique Freeman Night" during the men's basketball team's game against NIU. Fans in attendance received white replica No. 25 Freeman jerseys, and they all threw them on as they passed through the gates. Inside the area was a sea of white. Signs for Freeman were hoisted from the student section. Zips fans were ready to celebrate one of the best to ever play in blue and gold.
The game tipped off at 7 p.m., with Freeman arriving before the half. As he walked through the doors of the JAR, he was all smiles. Fans spotted him immediately, with young kids and coming up for a hug or a handshake, an autograph or a picture.
As Freeman made his way to the court, a chant broke out as the crowd got a glimpse of him for the first time.
"En-ri-que! En-ri-que! En-ri-que!"
"It was, it was incredible. Just the energy. As soon as I walked in, everybody was chanting my name. It's a feeling I truly can't describe. It was just super surreal and I'm just super thankful, super grateful," Freeman said.
As the Zips went into the locker room at halftime, the crowd was asked to remain in their seats. Freeman, his girlfriend and his family sat courtside looking up at the video board. The lights dimmed and a tribute video with highlights of Freeman's time at Akron played. Freeman and his family were brought onto the court, where Zips men's basketball coach John Groce gave an introduction and heartwarming speech about Freeman.
Freeman's former teammates and Akron alumni recorded messages to Freeman, which were played for him. It all led up to the big reveal.
On the court inside the JAR, Freeman was presented with a framed jersey to commemorate his time with the Zips. The forward, who averaged 18.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists a game while shooting 58.45 from the field and helped lead the Zips to two NCAA tournament appearances, then looked up to the rafters.
There, the No. 25 Freeman jersey hung proudly. Freeman's jersey got a forever home on the courts that shaped him.
"Coach always says, 'You're not going to remember the score, how many points you had, you're just going to remember those championship banners in the rafters and now I'm always going to see my name up there when I come here, so it's it's going to feel crazy," Freeman said.
Groce, whose emotions showed in his eyes when asked about Freeman's journey and what it meant to him to watch Freeman's jersey honored on Tuesday, said the real honor was getting to coach the once-walk-on.
"I think whenever my career's over, whenever that time comes, and God will call those shots, it'll be one of the most fulfilling things that I've went through as a coach. Just to see a guy that came in at 180 pounds dripping wet, throwing up in the trash can, nervous, almost didn't try out...thank God he did," Groce said. "What a blessing to the city, the university, the athletic department, our program, his teammates, other people. This guy is one of a kind."
Freeman walked on the Zips in 2019. He walked off last spring and into the NBA as a two-way player for the Pacers. He's the seventh Zip to be drafted into the NBA and the first since 1987.
If he could go back and tell the nervous player who showed up for the Zips tryout and threw up in a trash can one thing, he said it'd be this: "Just keep going. What you have inside of you is more than enough."
It was enough to fuel him to follow his dreams and enough to give him a forever home at the University of Akron. Because, as they say, "Once a Zip, always a Zip."
