Austin Freeman of Georgetown Big East Preseason Player of the Year

Filed under: Georgetown, Big East

NEW YORK -- The player picked by coaches to be the best in the Big East this season, is the same one who had to miss a game late last season after a sudden diagnosis of diabetes.

Georgetown guard Austin Freeman was awarded preseason Player of the Year honors, as well as selection on the preseason first team all-conference team, at Wednesday's Big East media day at Madison Square Garden. Just as important, he received a clean bill of health from head coach John Thompson III.

"He's completely healthy,'' Thompson said. "As I said at the end of last year, he's willing to monitor himself. He's done that and he understands that. We don't anticipate any issues.''

Asked if there were any more medical-clearance hurdles Freeman faced before regular-season play began, Thompson said, "None at all, zero.''

The 6-foot-3 Freeman averaged 16.5 points overall and 19.5 in conference play; in all games, he shot 52.5 percent from the floor and 85.6 percent from the line. He was a second-team all-Big East player at the end of last season.

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