First the news:
Xavier’s Zach Freemantle will join the Orlando Magic for NBA Summer League, I’m told.
The two-time 2nd Team All-Big East forward averaged 16.8 PTS, 6.8 REB, 2.1 AST this season, earning nods for the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and NABC Reese’s All-Star Game. pic.twitter.com/sOv1vpv5dV
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) June 27, 2025
Most everyone who picks up a basketball has a set of goals that hit most of the same highlights along the way. Become a standout high school player, get recruited by coaches up and down the country to play college basketball, show out in front of a national audience in the NCAA Tournament, and then head on to the league. For Freemantle, that path has had some well documented bumps along the way. After Xavier missed the big dance in his first three seasons, he was part of a star studded 2022-23 squad that was punching atop the Big East and cruising towards a protected seed. Unfortunately for Freemantle, that took place without him after a foot injury sidelined him for the year at the start of February. Another whole season wiped out by injury saw Freemantle have to battle back again to turn in another 2nd Team All Big East season this past year and finally get his chance to play on the sport’s biggest stage. He responded by pouring in 15 points in 28 minutes to knock out non basketball school Texas and his final, cathartic dunk as time expired was a moment worthy of capping his decorated Xavier career.
Now he gets a chance to live another dream. I am not much of an NBA fan and am not well versed on what Zach’s chances of earning a two way contract or making the Magic’s roster at some point in the future is, but for the obstacles he has faced and the commitment he has show to Xavier basketball, it is impossible not to be rooting for him to beat the odds again and make it to where he always hoped he would end up.