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Bruce Pearl calls Elyjah Freeman a ‘late bloomer’ after signing with Auburn
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Bruce Pearl confirmed the addition of transfer guard Elyjah Freeman on Sunday morning.
Freeman, a transfer from Division II Lincoln Memorial, reportedly committed to the Tigers on Saturday. He dominated the DII level as he averaged nearly 19 points and 9 rebounds per game as a freshman in 2024-25.
In a statement on Sunday, Pearl called Freeman a “classic late bloomer” and said he’ll be playing the big guard position for the Tigers next season.
“Elyjah Freeman is your classic late bloomer,” Pearl said in a statement. “He was under recruited out of high school, goes to Lincoln Memorial and just does a tremendous job. One of the best offensive players in all of Division II basketball as a freshman, Elyjah is an incredibly hard worker, dedicated and driven. He’s got some instincts that are hard to teach. He also has the size of a forward, but he will play a big guard position for Auburn. Incredible mom and great support at home. He was one of the best young players we evaluated in the portal this year.”
Freeman was listed at 6-foot-8 last season while playing for Lincoln Memorial. He has the size and versatility to guard opposing forwards while playing in Auburn’s back court offensively next season. He proved himself as an elite 3-point shooter last year as well, making over 45% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Freeman may help to replace Chad Baker-Mazara, who surprisingly entered the transfer portal last week. Baker-Mazara played the big guard role for Auburn the past couple of seasons and was a big part of the Tigers’ success.
Auburn will have to replace all 5 starters from its 2025 Final Four team this offseason, so there will be plenty of opportunity for Freeman to earn a big role on next year’s squad.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
