DePaul University’s Javon Freeman-Liberty is next best thing in men’s basketball
CHICAGO (BVM) — Javon Freeman-Liberty is a senior at DePaul University and is the next best thing in men’s basketball. He comes from Chicago’s Whitney Young High School and comes from a family that shares the same passion for the sport as him.
The 22-year old currently plays guard for the Blue Demons. His love for basketball was fostered and kept alive through his family who has always been supportive of his career.
As a young child, Freeman-Liberty would spend hours just bouncing a ball until his uncle decided to take matters into his own hands. His uncle is Marcus Liberty, who played basketball at Illinois from 1988-1990. While playing for Illinois, Liberty was a member of the 1989 Final Four team.
In 1990, Liberty was drafted into the NBA by the Denver Nuggets. He played in the NBA for four seasons with the Nuggets and Detroit Pistons. Accomplishments during his career consist of McDonald’s All-American and National Player of the Year. Javon still takes inspiration from his uncle and strives to accomplish greater goals than he did.
During high school, Javon helped lead his team to gain a state title in 2017 when he was just a junior. That same year he earned all-state honors from the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Tribune, and the IHSA as he averaged 13.6 points per game.
As a senior, Javon averaged 20 points and six rebounds per game. He earned consensus first team all-state honors. Additionally, he came in fifth place for Mr. Basketball in the state of Illinois and was named one of the top 10 players in the Class of 2018.
After graduating high school, Javon decided to attend Valparaiso University in Indiana for two years. His career thrived while attending Valparaiso. During his freshman year, he was the first player since 2001 in the Missouri Valley Conference to be named to both the all-freshman and all-defensive teams in the same season. He also started all 33 games for Valparaiso during his freshman year.
Javon’s sophomore year was just as remarkable as his freshman year. He was named NABC All-District First Team, All-Missouri Valley First Team, MVC All-Defensive Team, MVC Most-Improved Team and MVC All-Tournament Team.
For his junior year, Javon decided to play for DePaul University in Chicago and represent his hometown. During his first year at DePaul, Javon was named to the Big East All-Academic Team and NABC Honors Court. He played in 14 games and started in 14 games as well.
On Dec. 23, 2021, Javon surpassed the 1,000-point plateau during a game against Western Illinois University.
DePaul University has been having a great season so far. They have won every single game except for their most recent match against Loyola Chicago, falling 68-64. DePaul managed to shock audiences with their perseverance not just during the season but also against Loyola as they were predicted to do poorly for this season. It was a close game, and Javon contributed seven points in 34 minutes.
Javon has already proven to be a force to be reckoned with on the court. He has had a great environment to grow and his passion for the sport shines through when he plays. With proper guidance from his uncle, coaches, and teammates, Javon has the potential to show the world of basketball what he is truly capable of.
The Crusaders will be going against Duquesne University this upcoming Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m. CST.
