By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Following Saben Lee reaching a deal with Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and moving to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, Javon Freeman-Liberty is also leaving Manisa and heading to the NBA, according to Ismail Senol of beIN Sports.
Completing the upset of UCAM Murcia in overtime last Tuesday, Freeman-Liberty complemented Lee’s 36 points with 22 points behind 9/19 field goals. In addition, he registered six rebounds, three steals, and three assists over 41 minutes in Palacio de Deportes.
Switching from Gameday 1 of the Basketball Champions League Regular Season to Round 1 of the 2024-25 Turkiye Sigorta Basketbol Super Ligi, he was held to nine points, five rebounds, two assists, and one steal in a home loss at the hands of Bursaspor on Saturday.
A former player of Valparaiso and DePaul in the NCAA, Freeman-Liberty featured in 22 NBA games with the Toronto Raptors during the 2023-24 Regular Season, averaging 7.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per contest.
With Gameday 2 of the BCL Regular Season bringing an away game against FMP Soccerbet in Belgrade on Wednesday, it remains unclear whether the 24-year-old combo guard will be available for the team coached by Ertug Tyzcukaya.
In any case, the Turkish club must scan the market for replacements for the remainder of the continental and domestic campaigns.
Other members of the current roster are Leon Apaydin, Hugo Besson, Martynas Echodas, Cengizhan Ivedi, Jamorko Pickett, Yunus Sonsirma, Fabian White Jr., Mehmet Yagmur, and Ahmet Yilmaz.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League