The new mantra in college athletics is that while you have to recruit high school players for the future, one of the main responsibilities of a coach and his staff is recruiting the players currently on their roster.
Steven Pearl did a little bit of that following Auburn’s quarterfinal win over Nevada on Wednesday in the NIT when talking about sophomore guard Elyjah Freeman.
“I would love for him to be here next year because he’s going to be a really good player,” the first-year head coach said. “I’m just proud of him for continuing to step up and show what he’s capable of.”
Elyjah Freeman could be a key piece for Auburn next season
Much like the Tigers, Freeman’s first season on the Plains has seen its ups and downs, but the Palm Beach, Fla., native has stepped up in the last two games, putting up 15 points against the Wolf Pack after scoring 19 points in the victory over Seattle U. This comes as he has earned more minutes, playing every single second in the last two games.
Even in the opening-round victory against South Alabama, when he was held to four points, Freeman still contributed, bringing down 10 rebounds while dishing out four assists to one turnover.
“The last two games, he’s done a great job of taking advantage of the opportunity. I’m glad that we have a week, eight days, before the next game,” Pearl said. “He’s been great. I got on him a couple of times defensively, but part of it is because he’s probably just really tired out there, and he gets caught standing up, but 15 points, and I loved a lot of the aggressive drives he made.”
With Auburn expected to have several departures after this season, it would be critical for Pearl to keep Freeman, as he continues to grow as a player.