Indiana Pacers Rookie Enrique Freeman 1-on-1 Interview

Indiana Pacers Rookie Enrique Freeman 1-on-1 Interview

first of all welcome dendy thank you thank you thank you for having me taking me back to draft night when you get the call that you’re getting drafted by the P what were your emotions uh I just I kind of got scared cuz everyone seen it before I did so they kind of jumped I kind of got a jump scared but uh you know it just it just felt amazing it felt like a dream come true and um and just be there with my family and my closest people were just just just amazing really what was your family’s reaction they they screamed they screamed to the top the mons they I think they kept screaming for the next like hour so it was it was so cool what did you know about Indiana going into draft night and was it the place that you saw yourself potentially ending up to be honest I didn’t know that much and then I didn’t I missed my workout so I didn’t think I was going to Indiana but uh I’m just so happy they believed in me and my game and everything that I could offer to the T got to know the organization a little bit over the last couple days what have you learned about this group what excites you about being here yo I just I just love the way you know they play they play here they run the floor um and they so focus on defense and and rebounding and those are the things that I can offer so I’m I’m just super excited for the style of play you had such a unique Journey to the NBA you think about that kid that enrolled at a not even on the basketball team so now being in the NBA what what does that mean to you oh it just it’s just a contest of the hard work that I put in for the last like few years you know at akan um I think a lot of people wouldn’t have thought I would have made it here but you know having the opportunity to to be here is really a contestant a lot of hard work that I put in and everyone at akan who’s helped me get here uh and my family and friends was it about that school and that program that allowed you to thrive and grow as the player you are now they they just do such well at Player Development um they’ve helped me as a player and not only grow physically skill-wise but like my IQ too like how to see the game you know seeing the game at this level the fact how fast or Pace it is so just just the Player Development acon is amazing and then just the culture you know I’m around a bunch of people who love to win and you do anything in just Relentless to win they announced before the draft they’re going to retire your jersey next year what did that mean to you oh man it’s it seems so unreal you know walking in my my first time I didn’t think my jersey was going to be retired it’s just it’s surreal just I honestly I still can’t believe it you know and once I see it go up I think it’s going to be amazing you know I was there and I got to see um Romeo Travis’s Jersey get put up in the stands and that was amazing and they had a great video so it’s just so cool that I could be sitting next to some great people you’re one of the most prolific rebounders in all of college basketball is that something you think is going to translate well the next level yeah 100% I think uh rebounding is about multiple efforts and how bad can you get to Glass you know wherever you are on the floor so 100% yeah hard work is you think that’s something that’s going to help make you stick out of the next level yeah yes yes especially around guys here everyone here seems like they work very hard and gets extra work uh so I’m just trying to fit in and and work as hard as them what have been your early impressions of your new teammates they just they work they work very hard uh and they you know they just want the best from you and they they want to build that chemistry and try to and do whatever they can to win if you’re getting ready to head to Vegas for summer league what are your goals for this summer what are you hoping to take away from the next couple weeks just uh playing as hard as I can and learning as much as I can from everyone from the coaches um and just trying to fit into the system best I Cans again thank you thank you [Music]

Indiana Pacers rookie Enrique Freeman spoke with Pacers.com’s Wheat Hotchkiss about the moment he was drafted.and his jersey being retired at Akron.