Northwestern targeting Valpo transfer Javon Freeman (UPDATED)

UPDATE: Freeman is visiting Northwestern on April 1st-2nd, the guard confirmed to Inside NU on Wednesday. He hasn’t set a firm commitment date yet.

On Monday, Northwestern contacted Javon Freeman, a combo-guard from Chicago that decided to transfer from Valparaiso after a year in which he earned All-Freshman and All-Defensive honors in the Missouri Valley Conference, Freeman told Inside NU.

The news comes after Northwestern learned that it would lose its third player as a graduate-transfer this offseason in Barret Benson. The departures of Aaron Falzon and Jordan Ash were not surprises, but the loss of Benson was a shock to the program.

Freeman was recruited to Valparaiso by then-Valpo assistant Emanuel Dildy, who is now an assistant on Chris Collins’s staff at Northwestern.

Freeman had an excellent first year in the MVC, despite the lack of success Valparaiso had as a team. Freeman averaged 11 points and four rebounds per game, and displayed the elite athleticism that he possessed in high school. Here are a look at some of his AAU highlights:

Freeman is known for his ability to drive and use his length in the lane, but he has been improving his 3-point shot recently, (though he just under 30 percent from beyond-the-arc in his freshman campaign).

The Chicago native will have to sit out the 2019-2020 season before becoming eligible for the 2020-2021 campaign.