Anthony Freeman continues to build a strong bond with Duke

Anthony Freeman, who goes by Tre, was one of the first players from the class of 2021 to commit to Duke. The Northern Durham High product joined four others, committing to the Blue Devils over the course of seven days in late January.

It was a strong week for the Blue Devils’ coaching staff, landing two from local high schools, with Aaron Hall from Southern Durham, who was the first to offer his pledge, joining Freeman.

Freeman, a 6-foot, 215-pound linebacker, is not shy about expressing his excitement for his future at Duke, and it’s that very enthusiasm that is infectious throughout the rest of his fellow commits.

The rising senior is naturally a positive person, and he’s relying on that to help him navigate all the challenges ahead regarding football, school and COVID-19. Freeman has been fortunate in that his offseason training and preparations for a senior season has not been derailed all that much.

“It has gone good for me,” Freeman said in reference to his offseason. “I’ve gotten to work on a lot of weak areas of my game. With the gyms being closed that really didn’t effect me that much because I have weights in my garage that I have been using.”

The good news for most athletes is that even though in-person training is either limited or prohibited altogether, virtual guidance and coach instruction is available.

As far as areas he’s looking to improve goes, it’s all about movement and speed. Freeman has been in a position to work with a specialty coach, which has helped his game move forward.

“I would say lateral movement and being able to get to my top speed in few steps,” he said when asked what he was working to improve. “I’ve just been doing drills that help with lateral movement and having it apply to real game situations. And I’ve been working with a speed coach everyday, too.”

Despite all his preparations and offseason work, there are a lot of uncertainties surrounding fall sports. Freeman’s final prep season is in question like it is with the majority of high school prospects across the country.

The three-star recruit told Devils Illustrated that his high school team has not started practicing yet, but hopes to start in a few weeks.

With all the unknowns about his senior season ever present, it’s only natural that Freeman has given it some thought. However, he chooses not to dwell on whatever happens in the coming months.

“I have thought about not having a senior year, but I just try to stay positive for the most part,” he said.

Understandably, there are likely moments where it’s difficult to stay positive, but Freeman says his plans for Duke have not really been impacted.

A delayed high school season could change that mindset, though he’s already thinking through what he plans to do should football be pushed back. Though Freeman has not set anything in stone in regard to how he navigates his pre-Duke future, he at least has a good idea of what he might do.

“No, it shouldn’t right now,” Freeman said when asked if COVID-19 impacts his enrollment plans. “The plan is to enroll early but if they push the season back to January I’ll probably just finish the year at my high school.”

In the meantime, Freeman is continuing to build his relationship with the Duke coaching staff.

While the downtime created by COVID-19 has certainly caused its share of problems, it has also allowed recruits and coaches a better opportunity to build upon their relationships.

“It has grown a lot,” he said of his relationship with Duke coaches. “They have been doing weekly Zoom meetings with us and we play a few games and get to compete with each other in a unique way. And I talk to coach (Lanier) Goethie just about everyday.

“I like his energy and I feel like he sees himself in me, so we just connect.”