Ahead of his sophomore season at Iowa, 6-foot-10-inch forward Owen Freeman continues to stand tall for Christ. Yesterday (Oct. 7) at the Hawkeyes’ media day, last year’s co-Big Ten freshman of the year spoke candidly about his faith and its influence on and off the basketball court.
When asked why he doesn’t cuss, Freeman said, “I credit a lot of that to my faith. That’s a huge part of who I am.” The hoopster said he’s “a child of God, so I try to represent him as much as I can. I try to let him shine through me.”
Freeman, 19, said he might say, “Dang it!” or throw his hands up in the air when he gets frustrated. The reason he watches his words? “I feel like I’m the Bible that people read,” he said. “Not everyone’s going to open up the Bible, so I’ve got to shine God’s light.”
Iowa’s Owen Freeman: Jesus Is My Cornerstone
Owen Freeman has been talking about Jesus since high school, when he transferred to a new school for his senior year. The Illinois native quickly impressed teammates and coaches with his character and commitment to faith.
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“He’s just fully locked in on it, and it’s truly an awesome thing to see,” said Brock Harding, a teammate from both high school and college. “He’s always going to talk to you about God, and it’s just something that’s great to have on your side.”
In a Fellowship of Christian Athletes video from January 2023, high school coach Sean Taylor said Freeman is special because he lives his faith “day to day”—and not just while playing ball. “That’s him, that’s his family,” Taylor said. “He’s not afraid to show it…He lives it, and I think that’s why people respect him so much.”
As a senior in high school, Freeman was already determined to “use my platform as a way to spread the love God has for us, the mission he has for us.” Being in the public eye through sports is “an amazing opportunity,” he said in 2023. “Some unbelievers aren’t going to read the Bible, they’re going to read us.”
“So when we set that example of godly characteristics,” he continued, “they’re going to [notice] ‘Hey, he’s different. Let me go see what all that’s about,’ and that’s our way of being able to witness to people.”
Freeman’s faith was a huge help when he transferred high schools. “There’s been times where I might have felt lonely at first, but I’ve leaned on Jesus,” he said. “He’s that friend that you have when no one else is there…That’s really my stronghold, my cornerstone that I build upon.”
Owen Freeman: ‘I Lean On My Faith’
Last season at Iowa, Freeman was named Big Ten freshman of the week nine times. He averaged 10.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
To prepare for his sophomore year, Freeman gained 15 pounds over the summer. Being bigger “helps me not get into foul trouble,” he said, “so I can hold my own on the block.”
