Owen Freeman cites Matt Gatens, Auburn’s winning culture in finding fresh start

Owen Freeman took his time this go-around, and it led him to Auburn.

After a week that included stops at Syracuse and Saint Louis, Freeman arrived at Auburn on Friday and quickly felt like he had found the right fit. The Creighton transfer forward said it came down to the people, the culture and a shared belief in winning.

STORY: OWEN FREEMAN COMMITS TO AUBURN

“I think the people really make the place,” Freeman told Off The Air with Matt Randazzo. “You can see the camaraderie that the coaches and players have and the expectation of winning that you want. I haven’t played in a tournament in my college career and that’s something that I’m yearning for. They have the setup for that, the right pieces and the right coaching staff. I really believe in them.”

Freeman broke out at Iowa in 2023-24, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors after posting 10.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He built on that as a sophomore, averaging 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds through 19 games before a finger injury to his right hand required season-ending surgery.

He transferred to Creighton before last season and entered the year with preseason All-Big East recognition, but things never fully came together.

A meniscus injury between his Iowa and Creighton stops slowed his progress heading into the season and impacted his conditioning. He ultimately appeared in 26 games and averaged 5.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.8 blocks in a reduced role.

Over 79 career games, the 6-foot-10 big man has put up 10.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.

A major factor in that belief was Auburn assistant coach Matt Gatens, who wasted no time reaching out once Freeman entered the portal. Gatens coached at Iowa during Freeman’s time there and knows Freeman’s personality and skillet intimately.

“Gatens called me the first day I officially entered the portal and we talked every day,” Freeman said. “He set up a Zoom with the whole staff and then seeing him, his wife Erin and his kids on the visit, it was awesome. Having someone who knows the kind of player I am and believes in me was huge. I’m really excited to have him coach me again.”

This was Freeman’s second time going through the transfer process and he approached it differently. After taking just one visit a year ago, he made sure to slow things down and evaluate every option.

“This time, me and my circle really wanted to take our time and visit places,” Freeman said. “Last year I only took one visit. This time, I wanted to make sure it was the right decision. I want to make an impact, win games and be somewhere the coaches believe in me and where I’m happy.”

Winning, more than anything, drove his decision, as Freeman has yet to play in an NCAA Tournament game.

“I think growing up, I won. Losing was an anomaly,” Freeman said. “The past three years, we haven’t won as much as I’m used to. I don’t enjoy losing. So I wanted to go somewhere where winning is the culture. I feel like Auburn is the perfect place for that.”

Freeman’s lone season at Creighton didn’t go as planned. His injury before the season limited him and led to a reduced role, something he had rarely experienced before.

“Up until that point, I didn’t really have a struggle,” Freeman said. “This year was a learning opportunity for me to figure out who I am and know I can do hard things. It didn’t go as planned with injuries or when I was out there, but it helped me grow.

“I leaned on my faith and I know God has a plan, and I trusted that everything would work out. I learned so much about myself and tried to show up every day with a win-the-day mentality and support my teammates.”

Now healthy again, Freeman said the experience has only fueled him moving forward.

“It created a hunger in me,” Freeman said. “I’ve been at the top and I’ve been at rock bottom. I know the kind of player I am, and I want to get back to that and exceed it. There’s a lot of basketball left for me, and I’m excited to go out there, prove people wrong and just be me.”

That mindset, paired with Auburn’s belief in his ability and fit within the roster, is what ultimately sealed his decision.