After a prep career at
St. Martin de Porres High School in
Cleveland, Freeman had no college basketball offers. He accepted an academic scholarship to the
University of Akron and at the urging of friends and family, tried out for a
walk-on spot with the school's basketball team, earning a roster spot. He played sparingly as a freshman, totaling 13 minutes on the season. He grew between his first and second years and earned a scholarship and a starting role for the Zips. He earned his first
Mid-American Conference (MAC) all-defensive team honor. As Freeman established himself as one of the top defensive players in the MAC during the
2021–22 season, his offense began to develop as well. He averaged a
double-double for the season and led the nation in
field goal percentage. He earned second-team All-MAC honors and was named the conference Defensive Player of the Year. He led the Zips to a
MAC tournament title, and was named the tournament MVP. Following the
2022–23 season, Freeman declared for the
2023 NBA draft but retained his college eligibility. He worked out for several teams but ultimately decided to return to Akron for his senior season. Entering his final season at Akron, Freeman was named preseason All-MAC and added to the 20-man watch list for the
Karl Malone Award for top
power forward in the nation. On February 2, 2024, he was named to the 10-man finalist pool for the award. At the close of the regular season, Freeman was named
MAC Player of the Year. ==Professional career==