This past off-season Freeman had to undergo surgery to repair a fracture in his lower right leg, it required an 18 inch metal rod to be inserted to stabilize the fracture. The healing time was around 3-4 months which caused Freeman to miss summer workouts and conditioning. This put Freeman behind the eight ball so to speak, but recently he is starting to look more comfortable and fluid on the court.

Coach Gottfried and NC State needs Freeman to play at a high level this season, especially given the lack of depth in the front court. To start the season it was apparent that something was holding Lennard back as he looked a step slow and unsure of himself; however, in the last game he looked to be turning the corner as he registered 13 rebounds and 10 points. He was also decisive on the defensive side of the ball as he directed the guards and helped navigate screens for his teammates. One area that was dramatically improved was his foul shooting as he connected on 4 of his 6 attempts. He looked more confident in general as he displayed good form and arc on his shot.

Look for Freeman to improve as he continues to ramp up his stamina and gains more confidence through playing. He is a vital part to what NC State wants to do both offensively and defensively. Freeman may not average many points, but he does little things well that help the Pack operator effectively by setting good screens and being in the correct spots.

If Lennard can continue to rebound at a high rate and capitalize on a few post ups, then NC State should be in the hunt for the NCAA Tournament come March. It is easy to see that Freeman’s best basketball is ahead of him, which is great news for NC State as well as NC State fans.