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Joel Freeland
Topic Started: Jul 21 2008, 06:44 PM (9,197 Views)
player5082
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Does anyone know if Joel is playing in one of the NBA summer leagues this summer?

Am I right in thinking this season would be the final year of his contract with the Blazers? Then what will happen.
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Bada Bing
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El Crack
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Joel has just had his best game ever in the top league in Europe with a valuation of 30 and an overtime win against Bruesa, put some details on my spanish site

Fantastic stuff from the big man

notably he played in crunch and got a few crucial boards

Hence my earlier point in the thread about not being bothered if he starts but just finding a role within the team and seeing if he will play down the stretch

Great!



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inaminute23
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http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/Spain/2008/1120_1312_6645.asp

Just getting better & better!

Is there a better youngster in the ACB at present? I doubt it! NBA 2009..............why not?
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Bada Bing
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There are plenty better than Joel at this stage

Illyasova is just incredible

So is Claver and there are a range of players younger than Joel more consistent and with more on their CV

Joel is doing fantstically well and hopefully will have a terrific career either in the ACB or elsewhere

Personally I think he has a long way to go before he plays in the NBA simply on the basis there are still better players in the league he is playing in

But, I might be wrong although I think in the long term he could be hugely successful

The key will be whether another big ACB club comes in for him next summer which I think will happen rather than an NBA Team

If he gets the cash courtime etc... then it may be attractive because of his age to prove himself for one or two more years and then go Staeside

Either way it is brilliant craic!
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"LuFu$"
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Jus saw the highlights on ACB TV, he got quite a sick dunk on there jus caught it n rose from the baseline. Got a nice block too.

He's 2nd highest scorer on a team that is Joint first, not to bad. Cant see why an NBA team wouldnt take him if he had a good Summer League and plays well at Eurobasket.
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Richyyy
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With Raef LaFrentz coming off the cap (and the roster) at the end of the 08/09 season, I could see Portland bringing Freeland over as a backup big for next season (Joel would be dirt cheap comparatively as well). To some extent it depends on whether they've made any roster moves by that point, and just on what they see in Freeland. Nicolas Batum wasn't exactly lighting up any scoreboards in Europe, but he's currently starting for the Blazers at the 3.

The signs of life Freeland is showing already this season are finally enough to make him look worth giving a shot in Portland. He might still need a season or two to develop into an NBA-level contributor, but he's at the stage now where it could be worth giving him that education on an NBA roster.
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Bada Bing
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Yep, not trying to knock Joel down far from it - actually trying to put things into perspective. He has had a great couple of months for GB and Granca

But 6 months ago he was barely playing in the ACB

Dont think we need to hype him up - I think Richyy hit the nail on the head in terms of being able to contribute in the NBA

Great monitoring his progress!

:party
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Vilius
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There are several examples of European basketball players who were tagged stars-in-the-making at a very early age - Arvydas Sabonis, Drazen Petrovic and Ricky Rubio come to mind - and were even famous by the tender age of 16. Until he was that age, Kalise Gran Canaria big man Joel Freeland had never even played organized basketball. In just five years since then, however, he has become one of the brightest hopes of British basketball. By taking firm steps forward with a patient club, Freeland has now become a key part of Gran Canaria's best start ever in the Spanish League, where it shares first place, and its high hopes in the Eurocup. "Definitely, the hard work is paying off little by little," Freeland told Eurocupbasketball.com. "It is all about being patient."

Joel Daniel Freeland was born in Aldershot, England, but was raised in Farnham, western Surrey, just like rugby superstar Jonny Wilkinson. Football was his first sport, since his father, Rob Freeland, was a diehard fan. "I started playing basketball when I was 16, so I had been playing football for eight years already," Joel said. "I grew up playing football because I grew up in a football-oriented family. Basketball never really came into my mind. I have always been tall, the biggest guy in my class at school, but in England, basketball in not one of the sports that I would have tried as a kid. I got introduced to basketball at high school and I loved it. I carried on playing and things happened very quickly. It's been tough, but it's been good, too."

In 2004, just months after starting in basketball, Freeland was nominated for the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) by England Basketball's performance manager Radmila Turner. Freeland traveled to Southampton to work with coaches Jimmie Guymon and Mick Byrne. Guymon is considered one of England's best coaches of fundamentals and his team, Solent Stars, an excellent development program for young players. Guymon had begun to consider retiring from coaching, but the opportunity to work with Freeland changed his mind. "I first saw him in a junior tournament, where he got into serious foul trouble with charging fouls, because all he wanted to do was knock people out of the way and dunk the ball - I was not impressed by him at that time," Guymon said. " At the time, Joel had really only been playing about a year, so he was very raw, but extremely athletic," Guymon said. "I was looking to get out of coaching at the time, but told his father that I would come back into it and dedicate the entire year to building a foundation of solid basic skills in his son."

That promise meant Freeland would join the junior program in Southampton with a year-long program laid out - and some unexpected lessons, too.

"When Joel first got here, he was absolute dynamite for the first two minutes on court," Guymon said. "Then, he totally ran out of steam. Joel was used to playing football and playing just in an area of the pitch, where he could get long rests when the ball was away from him. We told him in no uncertain terms that basketball is not football and all the time a basketball player is on court he has to play hard. When his lungs were burning and he felt like his guts were going to fall out, he still had to continue to play and play hard. That was his first lesson on becoming a basketball player."

Long after Freeland left for Gran Canaria, he still consults Guymon for coaching. "He is a great coach and we worked out together this summer, in the off-season," Freeland said. "He is a picky coach, everything has to be perfect and that really helps me."

At age 17 and already 2.08 meters high, Freeland was working in a local supermarket stacking shelves, working to raise money for his own basketball development. Nothing stopped Freeland on his way to becoming one of the best English players his age, despite his lack of experience. "Well, I worked in a supermarket, but it was more like a part-time job, something that everybody does when they are young. The main person who really corresponded my whole thing was my father. He took time out of his schedule to take me around, three or four times a week, to get to practice," Freeland said. "The main thing that kept me going is the fact that I was improving all the time. I hadn't played at all and within two or three months, I was already training with a professional team. That progression went out of control and kind of kept me going. That kept me committed and kept me working hard after practice."

It all paid off in the summer of 2005, when he played for the English national team at the under-18 European Championships in Ruzomberok, Slovakia. Despite being totally unknown, Freeland made the most of the opportunity, averaging 13.6 points and 8.3 rebounds in eight games. "Gran Canaria came to me in that tournament, when I was thinking about going to the States to play college basketball," Freeland recalls. "They approached me through Roberto Orellana, who was their scout at the time. He showed me the option to play in Europe and a friend of mine, Dan Clark, had taken that option in the past. I just thought it was the right thing for me to do. It really appealed to me. I loved it."

Freeland first played transition season in Gran Canaria's fourth-division farm team, averaging 15.2 points and 7.7 rebounds. He also excelled in the Spanish ACB League's under-20 circuit, showing his defensive skills, versatility and talent. That led to an invitation to take part in 2006 RBK Treviso EuroCamp in Italy, where Freeland again impressed with his intensity and, despite not being known much beforehand, was chosen as the camp's best power forward.

The next season, Freeland started to playing time in the Spanish League and the ULEB Cup, where he averaged 1.5 points in eight games as his first taste of continental club competition. "I always came here with the mindset that I was going to play with the younger team anyway, and practice with the ACB team when I had the opportunity," Freeland said. "They have been very patient and helped me a lot with the progression that I had. I might not be playing a lot in the last two or three years, but at the end of the day, I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for Gran Canaria."

In last season's ULEB Cup, Freeland started meeting and beating the expectations, averaging 7.5 points on 70% two-point shooting in 15 minutes per game, helping Gran Canaria to within a few points of reaching Final Eight. "I played more time in the ULEB Cup than in the ACB, which is a great competition," Freeland explained. " Being 19 at the time, I think it would be really hard for me to play in the ACB right away, at that kind of level. The ULEB Cup kind of eased me into this standard that I had to step up to. It really helped me, because the ULEB Cup was a powerful standard for me to learn the game. It really helped me out."

Last summer, Freeland's performance with the British national team only confirmed his rising-star status. His 10 points and 5.7 rebounds per game helped Great Britain qualify for its first EuroBasket since 1981. Of course, the 2012 Olympic Games are still far away, but Great Britain is certainly taking part as the host country. Even though Great Britain has never been a basketball superpower, the possibility of having a strong team featuring Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Freeland, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng could change things. "Reaching EuroBasket 2009 is a step forwards," as Freeland told us. "We have a very, very good team now. People underestimated us and they can't do that anymore because we proved this summer that we are a completely different team with great young players. We have learned to play together and we are not the underdogs coming into the games, not anymore. When 2012 comes around, it is going to be unbelievable. I really can't wait."

Along looking more confident following his national team duty, Freeland has looked stronger than ever in helping Gran Canaria tie for first place through seven weeks in the Spanish League. "I think that I put on 10 kilos of muscle in the last year," he said. "I am not getting pushed around anymore." That added strength helped Gran Canaria waltz through its Eurocup qualifying games against Benetton Olympic Fribourg, with Freeland as the team's top scorer in both. "My only goal right now is to keep playing harder and to do my best," he says. "Every time I step on the floor I want to work hard and let the game come to me. I am not trying to force things or take stupid shots, but just to help my team to get good wins. My only goal in the Eurocup season is to keep playing hard and to do my best."

Freeland is set to become a free agent at the end of the season and could well step up to a Euroleague team. He is very passionate about basketball and the Euroleague may well be the right fit for him, as offers will surely be coming from several countries around the continent. "It would be great to play in the Euroleague," he said. "I have to wait until next year to see which options I have, but yes, it is a possibility. I would love to step up to the Euroleague. It is a great competition that I love to watch. It would be an honor for me to play in the Euroleague."

http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/ulebcup/home/news/player-spotlight/i/38517/547
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Noel Edmonds
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http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/International-Blog/



Very nice write up on Joel from Jonathan Givony over at Draft Express. His progress really does bode well for the GB team.
Champion.
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inaminute23
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Very good article indeed, i would like to see how he would fair playing 30 mins a game to see if he can keep his statys up, slowly but surely increasing his minutes is probably the best option at present. Can't wait to see him in action On eurosport 2 in a couple of weeks. Hopefully he will have a great game & having the commentators drooling over him.
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inaminute23
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http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/ulebcup/competition/results/showgame?gamecode=26

Great performance by Joel last night. He is such a threat in the low post, which is definately his strong point. He seems to score with ease under the basket. Must say his team mates do help as they move the ball great. Definately gioing to contenders this season.
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JohnSwissH
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Joel top scored against an awesome side as well.

Portland are watching, but with the squad they have at the moment, Joel might have to wait a few years, but the signs are showing.

He is like the super sub for GC at the moment, and the coach does not want to ruin his already steady rotation - which works!

At his age also Joel can only improve. With an NBA team scouting him, he looks to be a scary prospect for other nations and teams!!
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RockOn
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I thought that Portland made a dreadful error and wasted a first round pick on him, but having seen him on eurosport against Vilnius, he was immense. If he can develop a shot from mid-range and not bite on so many fakes, he can easily get himself into the NBA. One put back of a horrendous airball layup was particularly good.

With him and Archibald inside, GB has a great chance.
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JohnSwissH
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Give Freeland two or three years and he'll be a solid and mature member of the Blazers roster.
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inaminute23
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http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/ulebcup/competition/results/showgame?gamecode=41

Another very good display by Joel. However did end up in a very tight defeat!
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Bada Bing
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Joel injured his right foot and is probably going to miss this weekends action

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GlennHardaker
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I presume Joel is still injured given last nights DNP in the surprise home loss to Azovmash last night
Feel the (Huddersfield)Heat !

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inaminute23
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was surprised by that result too! Not looking good for the Brit lads with Deng, Freeland, Pops all injured & Betts, Boyd etc without a team. Hopefully all this will be sorted soon & in particular Freeland picks up from where he started.
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HuddersfieldHeat
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Gran Canaria's results in europe have been inconsistent in comparison to their domestic form all year.

The loss of Joel has obviously been a factor for them...and most GC teams in the past have not always been known for their strength and depth in comparisonto other "bigger" clubs.

I'm hoping he can get fit quickly, because putting my realistic hat on, GC will annoy teams in the playoffs but not have enough for a run at the big one. However, the Copa Del Rey, now theres a competition (more knockout style) where GC could really have a chance of that elusive trophy and a chance at keeping all these talented players.

I wholly agree with Bada's points about the quality in the ACB in the minute, and how Joel, great strides that he has made aside, is still not quite in that consistent top bracket of players. IMHO don't talk about the NBA at this time, let him become a dominant force in the ACB (and im talking one of the top ten players...) and then see what happens. Also, either with GC or in the future with someone else, he needs to have euroleague experience. The players Vilius quotes in his post, coming from europe and making it big in the NBA, were all seasoned euroleague (or the equivalent back then :getouttahere ) players who had succeeded at every level dmoestically and continentally, whilst also representing their international sides at an outstanding level - read here.. sabonis, kukoc, petrovic, ...an endless list...plus the current spanish crop of talent of la generacion de oro, not forgetting all the other great european players from the years gone by.. (maybe a subject for another debate in the international section - top 50 europeans..who fancies it?)

That aside - he's had a great season, and long may it continue.

BTW Bada - havent forgotten about the blog, club affairs have just taken over for a bit...be in touch soon :wink
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Richyyy
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Just thought I'd mention that Freeland's name has been mentioned in NBA-related press the last couple of days, in places such as here - http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/13515062 . Portland (like every other NBA team) are discussing an Amare Stoudamire trade with Phoenix, and along with LaMarcus Aldridge, Jerryd Bayless and Raef LaFrentz's Expiring Contract, the NBA rights to Joel have supposedly been discussed.

Good to hear that NBA people are still paying attention to him, including guys who don't even work for the TrailBlazers.
Edited by Richyyy, Feb 11 2009, 02:20 PM.
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inaminute23
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STUNNING JOEL FREELAND PERFORMANCE LAST NIGHT!

http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/Spain/2009/0430_258_1312.asp
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glasshouse
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Interesting article on Joel. This summer could be the one where he makes a much anticipated step-up to the NBA
Joel Freeland thingie
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inaminute23
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http://www.gameongb.com/news/217.php
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StrandedonA303
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Freeland started today for GC in 1st Round playoff against Malaga.

His performance was a little inconsistent (breathtaking one minute, rookie the next).

However a big fourth quarter from him brought GC back into a game they won in overtime.


I really hope that he doesn't go to the NBA for at least two years.

He's spent a lot of the last few years on the bench. Now he's getting to the point where he's attracting bigger clubs and more minutes. Why would he want to go back and sit on the bench in the NBA.

A couple of big years now and he'll be right for the NBA.

If he goes now I fear he will disappear forever!
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Game over
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i disagree, i think he could fit well in the Blazers system. backing up aldridge, like pops if he can get the right role he wont just be sitting on the bench.

If he waits a few years then he will really have to be a top european big man. not saying thats not possible but teams wont see him as a young guy worth bringing in. hes had a breakout year and should consider stepping up to the big time. maybe 1 more year with a top euroleague side could be the way but i think nba should be worth looking at.
Aim high, strike low
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voise
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Just finished watching 3rd game in GC - Unicaja play off series. Freeland was the bright spot on a poor GC team but what the stats don't adequately show is how much Archibald dominated at both ends - often matched up against Freeland.
This is all good for team GB and Freeland if he can pick up some of the veteran court and game awareness that Archibald has over the summer.
Freeland has great firepower but is still very young and a project defensively - he has a tendency to leave his feet and jump out which is getting exploited and will get shown up against the pick and roll in Eurobasket.
I actually think this makes Freeland look better suited to the NBA than La Liga - but he has shown that he has the determination to take the opportunities and mature - so think he will make the best of whether he stays in Europe or goes to the States.
As a side note Archibald was very impressive today. He looks fully fit (played significant minutes) and could be a massive boost for Poland in this form.
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