NCAA Basketball Recruiting: 2023 Live Event evaluations and takeaways

Owen Freeman – 6’10, 220 lbs – Moline High School (Illinois) – MidPro Academy – Iowa

Freeman kind of has “Iowa” written all over him. A fundamental post-scorer, Freeman uses his touch and size to make a living on the block. He flashed some outside shooting as well and passed it well out of the post.

Freeman isn’t the most gifted athletically, so I’m a tad skeptical about how well he can protect the rim, but he should be a good rebounder. Even with his strength, he could do a better job of fighting and finishing through contact. Back-to-the-basket centers typically don’t get me overexcited, but Freeman has the pure size to bang in a league that is notorious for his archetype. Iowa has taken Freeman-level bigs in the past

Garwey Dual – 6’5, 175 lbs – Carmel High School (Indiana) – George Hill Rising Stars – Providence

I hadn’t heard of Dual prior to the NY2LA Final Chapter, but playing next to Booker he popped for George Hill Rising Stars. Dual’s defense should help him get on the floor as a freshman. He’s a slender 6’5, but it looked like he had a +3-5 wingspan. Dual was aggressive at the point of attack, and used his length to nab a few steals. His jumper is unreliable at this stage, so defenders would go under screens. But he’s incredibly shifty with the ball and has downhill burst. He needs to add weight but his ability to hang in the air should help him as a finisher.

Dual is probably more of a two-guard than a point, but he can play on the ball at times, making him a seamless roster fit. Ed Cooley’s flex offense doesn’t provide for a ton of creativity, but Dual should thrive in transition. His toughness and willingness to compete should bode well in the Big East and Dual could be an important four-year piece for Cooley.