For 90 days get to know more about the international faces of the NBA. Day 32 brings...
Joel Freeland (C, Portland Trail Blazers), Great Britain
Height: 2.08 m, 6-foot-10| Weight: 102.1 kg, 225 pounds | Born: 7 February 1987 The Portland Trail Blazers surprised the basketball world in 2013-14. And Joel Freeland surprised the Portland Trail Blazers.
After struggling to find a fit in his first NBA season in 2012-13, the British-born Freeland beat out first-round pick Meyers Leonard for the backup center role, playing 14 minutes a night in relief of Robin Lopez – until a knee injury lopped 30 games off his season. But before the injury, Freeland made an impact few expected.
In addition to clogging up the lane, he also picked up 13 percent of available offensive rebounds – third on the team, per BlazersEdge.com. And, at +0.5, he had the third-highest Net Rating among Blazers' reserves who played at least 25 games.
Freeland doesn't have any assurances about his role in 2014-15. And he'll need to work on his offensive game, especially from mid-range, to keep a steady spot. But in the meantime, the Blazers know what's in store from the big man from England: size, intensity and a motor like a locomotive.
Key Stats
2013-14 Season: GP: 52 | MIN: 14.0 | PTS: 3.3 | REB: 4.0 | FG%: 47.5
Season Highlight
He posted a season-high 11 points with six rebounds in a win over the Timberwolves on 8 February.
5 Things to Know
1. Freeland started playing basketball at 17, per the Oregonian. Two years later, in 2006, he went in the first round of the NBA Draft (30th overall) to the Blazers.
2. After the 2006 Draft, Freeland spent six seasons working on his game in Spain, playing in the ACB, Spain's highest division.
3. Before his basketball career took off, he worked stacking shelves – of course – at a Sainsbury's market in Farnham, England. (per the London Telegraph)
4. A member of the UK National Team, he averaged 14.6 points, 6.6 boards in 25.1 minutes during the 2012 Olympics.
5. After he moved to Portland, he interviewed with the Trail Blazers' official blog. What did he like most about his new city? "The weather. It reminds me of home."
Check out Freeland's photos and video in the LEAGUE section of NBA Game Time.
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