# Matt Freije
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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Matt_Freije.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Freije
> Source revision: 1353554837
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Short description|Lebanese-American basketball player (born 1981)}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NBA biography
| name = Matt Freije
| image =
| caption =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 10
| weight_lbs = 240
| nationality = American / Lebanese
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|10|2}}
| birth_place = [Overland Park, Kansas](/source/Overland_Park%2C_Kansas), U.S.
| high_school = [Shawnee Mission West](/source/Shawnee_Mission_West_High_School) {{nowrap|(Overland Park, Kansas)}}
| college = [Vanderbilt](/source/Vanderbilt_Commodores_men's_basketball) (2000–2004)
| draft_year = 2004
| draft_round = 2
| draft_pick = 53
| draft_team = [Miami Heat](/source/Miami_Heat)
| career_start = 2004
| career_end = 2013
| career_number = 35, 4
| career_position = [Power forward](/source/Power_forward_(basketball))
| years1 = {{nbay|2004|full=y}}
| team1 = [New Orleans Hornets](/source/New_Orleans_Hornets)
| years2 = 2005
| team2 = [Nashville Rhythm](/source/Nashville_Rhythm)
| years3 = 2005–2006
| team3 = [Idaho Stampede](/source/Idaho_Stampede)
| years4 = 2006
| team4 = [Olympiacos](/source/Olympiacos_B.C.)
| years5 = 2006
| team5 = [Brujos de Guayama](/source/Brujos_de_Guayama)
| years6 = {{nbay|2006|start}}
| team6 = [Atlanta Hawks](/source/Atlanta_Hawks)
| years7 = 2007
| team7 = [Brujos de Guayama](/source/Brujos_de_Guayama)
| years8 = 2007–2008
| team8 = [Miami Heat](/source/Miami_Heat)
| years9 = 2008
| team9 = [Brujos de Guayama](/source/Brujos_de_Guayama)
| years10 = 2008
| team10 = [Leones de Ponce](/source/Leones_de_Ponce_(basketball))
| years11 = 2008–2009
| team11 = [Fujian Xunxing](/source/Fujian_Xunxing)
| years12 = 2009
| team12 = [Caguas Creoles](/source/Criollos_de_Caguas_(basketball))
| years13 = 2009–2010
| team13 = [Al Riyadi Beirut](/source/Al_Riyadi_Beirut)
| years14 = 2010
| team14 = [Mets de Guaynabo](/source/Mets_de_Guaynabo_(basketball))
| years15 = 2010–2011
| team15 = [Hebraica y Macabi](/source/Hebraica_y_Macabi)
| years16 = 2011
| team16 = [Maratonistas de Coamo](/source/Maratonistas_de_Coamo)
| years17 = 2011
| team17 = [Guangzhou Free Man](/source/Guangzhou_Free_Man)
| years18 = 2011
| team18 = [BC Armia](/source/BC_Armia)
| years19 = 2012
| team19 = Hebraica y Macabi
| years20 = 2012
| team20 = [Guaiqueríes de Margarita](/source/Guaiquer%C3%ADes_de_Margarita)
| years21 = 2012–2013
| team21 = [Amchit Club](/source/Amchit_Club)
| highlights =
* Third-team [All-American](/source/NCAA_Men's_Basketball_All-Americans) – [NABC](/source/National_Association_of_Basketball_Coaches), [TSN](/source/Sporting_News) ([2004](/source/2004_NCAA_Men's_Basketball_All-Americans))
* First-team All-[SEC](/source/Southeastern_Conference) (2004)
* [Mr. Kansas Basketball](/source/Mr._Kansas_Basketball) (2000)
| bbr = freijma01
}}
'''Matthew Wayne Freije''' (born October 2, 1981) is a Lebanese-American former professional basketball player. Freije attended [Shawnee Mission West High School](/source/Shawnee_Mission_West_High_School) in [Overland Park, Kansas](/source/Overland_Park%2C_Kansas) before attending [Vanderbilt University](/source/Vanderbilt_University) where he was an All-SEC performer. He was selected 53rd overall in the [2004 NBA draft](/source/2004_NBA_draft) by the [Miami Heat](/source/Miami_Heat), was then released and later played for the [New Orleans Hornets](/source/New_Orleans_Hornets). He played 19 games for the [Atlanta Hawks](/source/Atlanta_Hawks) during the [2006–07 season](/source/2006-07_NBA_season) but was waived in December 2006 to clear a roster spot for [Slava Medvedenko](/source/Slava_Medvedenko).[[http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NBA&id=736&line=73539&spln=1 Fantasy Basketball Breaking News – Rotoworld.com]]
==College career==
Freije played for the [Vanderbilt University](/source/Vanderbilt_University) [Commodores men's basketball team](/source/Vanderbilt_Commodores_Basketball) from 2000 to 2004. He chose to come to Vanderbilt due to his relationship with head basketball coach [Kevin Stallings](/source/Kevin_Stallings).[{{cite web |url=http://www.vandypride.com/2008/12/21/matt-freije-interivew/ |title=Archived copy |accessdate=April 12, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415235023/http://www.vandypride.com/2008/12/21/matt-freije-interivew/ |archivedate=April 15, 2013 }}] In 2004, he was named First Team All-[SEC](/source/Southeastern_Conference) and led the Commodores to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1993. He left Vanderbilt as the leading scorer in school history, having surpassed Phil Cox in 2004. His record was broken in 2008 by [Shan Foster](/source/Shan_Foster).{{fact|date=May 2021}}
Freije's tremendous career as a Commodore was highlighted by his senior year campaign, where he led Vanderbilt to a 23–10 record and a trip to the 2004 NCAA Tournament as a 6 seed. During the regular season, Freije had four thirty-point games, 32 vs. Indiana on November 24, 31 vs. Tennessee Tech on December 13, 32 vs. Alabama on Feb 18 and 31 vs. North Carolina State on Mar. 21. The Commodores started the season 12–0 until losing at Kentucky on Jan. 10. Vanderbilt, however, got its revenge three weeks later at home with a 66–60 victory over the #5 ranked Wildcats in a game where Freije scored 20 points and had 11 rebounds.{{fact|date=May 2021}}
Vanderbilt would subsequently advance to the NCAA Tournament, and following a first round win over Western Michigan, Freije led the Commodores to the Sweet Sixteen following a stunning comeback victory over the 3 seed North Carolina State Wolfpack, a game where the Commodores rallied from an eleven-point deficit in the final 3:45 of the game [https://web.archive.org/web/20040604090312/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/basketball/ncaa/specials/ncaa_tourney/2004/03/21/bc.bkc.ncaa.vanderbilt.nc.ap/index.html]. Freije scored 31 points during the victory, including 11 during the final 3:28 of the game. During his 1st team All-SEC senior season, he posted averages of 18.4 ppg along with 5.4 rpg.{{fact|date=May 2021}}
==Professional career==
After being drafted 53rd and subsequently released by the Miami Heat before the start of the season, Freije latched on with the New Orleans Hornets during the 2004–05 season, where he appeared in 23 games—11 of which he started. He averaged 4.0 points and 2.7 rebounds before being released later in the season. On December 26, 2004, Freije set his career high for both points and rebounds by registering 12 points and 11 rebounds in a 100–91 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
One year later, during the 2006–07 season, Freije was signed by the Atlanta Hawks and appeared in 19 games and averaged 2.1 points per game. His best day as a Hawk was on December 10, 2006, when he shot 4–5 from the field en route to an 8-point, 5-rebound day against the Sacramento Kings. During his NBA career Freije appeared in 42 games and averaged 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
Freije played for the Milwaukee Bucks summer league team in Las Vegas, Nevada. During his first game with the team, he finished second on the team in scoring with 11 points on 4–6 shooting (3–4 from three-point range) in an 88–79 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies [https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?page=080712-Recap3]. Throughout the NBA's Summer League in Vegas, Freije shot 58.6% from the field and 60% from three-point range, en route to averaging 11.8 points per game for the Bucks, who finished 4–1 during Vegas Summer League play. Freije finished second on the team in scoring and blocked shots per game and first in field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage in only 21.5 minutes per game.
In the months leading up to his 2009 Summer League play with the Portland Trail Blazers, Freije was playing for [Criollos de Caguas](/source/Criollos_de_Caguas_(basketball)) of the [BSN](/source/Baloncesto_Superior_Nacional).
After the [2009 FIBA Asia Championship](/source/2009_FIBA_Asia_Championship) Matt signed with Lebanese champions [Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut](/source/Sporting_Al_Riyadi_Beirut).
Matt returned to [Lebanon](/source/Lebanon) for the 2012–13 season and signed with [Amchit Club](/source/Amchit_Club) in the [Lebanese Basketball League](/source/Lebanese_Basketball_League).
== Career statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
===NBA===
====Regular season====
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | [2004–05](/source/2004%E2%80%9305_NBA_season)
| align="left" | [New Orleans](/source/New_Orleans_Hornets)
| '''23''' || '''11''' || '''19.2''' || .291 || '''.259''' || .625 || '''2.7''' || '''.9''' || '''.6''' || '''.1''' || '''4.0'''
|-
| align="left" | [2006–07](/source/2006%E2%80%9307_NBA_season)
| align="left" | [Atlanta](/source/Atlanta_Hawks)
| 19 || 0 || 7.7 || '''.296''' || .136 || '''.833''' || 1.2 || .4 || .2 || '''.1''' || 2.1
|-
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career
| 42 || 11 || 14.0 || .293 || .224 || .714 || 2.0 || .6 || .4 || .1 || 3.2
{{s-end}}
===College===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [2000–01](/source/2000%E2%80%9301_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season)
| style="text-align:left;"| [Vanderbilt](/source/2000%E2%80%9301_Vanderbilt_Commodores_men's_basketball_team)
| 27 || 18 || 23.9 || '''.497''' || '''.390''' || .792 || 4.4 || .6 || .2 || '''1.0''' || 10.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [2001–02](/source/2001%E2%80%9302_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season)
| style="text-align:left;"| [Vanderbilt](/source/2001%E2%80%9302_Vanderbilt_Commodores_men's_basketball_team)
| 32 || 32 || 29.3 || .466 || .340 || .768 || 5.1 || '''1.1''' || .8 || .3 || 15.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [2002–03](/source/2002%E2%80%9303_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season)
| style="text-align:left;"| [Vanderbilt](/source/2002%E2%80%9303_Vanderbilt_Commodores_men's_basketball_team)
| 29 || 28 || '''31.1''' || .443 || .351 || '''.798''' || 4.4 || '''1.1''' || '''.9''' || .4 || 17.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [2003–04](/source/2003%E2%80%9304_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season)
| style="text-align:left;"| [Vanderbilt](/source/2003%E2%80%9304_Vanderbilt_Commodores_men's_basketball_team)
| '''33''' || '''33''' || 29.8 || .415 || .356 || .788 || '''5.4''' || .9 || .7 || .6 || '''18.4'''
|- class="sortbottom"
|style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 121 || 111 || 28.7 || .448 || .355 || .786 || 4.9 || .9 || .7 || .6 || 15.6
{{s-end}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*{{Basketballstats |nba= 2782 |bbr= f/freijma01 }}
*[http://www.asia-basket.com/player.asp?Cntry=LEB&PlayerID=38258 Profile] at Eurobasket.com
{{2004 NBA draft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freije, Matt}}
Category:1981 births
Category:Living people
Category:2010 FIBA World Championship players
Category:All-American college men's basketball players
Category:American expatriate basketball people in China
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Georgia (country)
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Germany
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Greece
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Lebanon
Category:American expatriate basketball people in Uruguay
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Artland Dragons players
Category:Atlanta Hawks players
Category:Basketball players from Kansas
Category:Basketball players from North Dakota
Category:Beijing Royal Fighters players
Category:Fujian Sturgeons players
Category:Greek Basket League players
Category:Guaiqueríes de Margarita players
Category:Idaho Stampede (CBA) players
Category:Lebanese men's basketball players
Category:Lebanese people of American descent
Category:Leones de Ponce basketball players
Category:Maratonistas de Coamo players
Category:Miami Heat draft picks
Category:New Orleans Hornets players
Category:Olympiacos B.C. players
Category:Sportspeople from Overland Park, Kansas
Category:Power forwards
Category:Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball players
Category:Al Riyadi Club Beirut basketball players
Category:Criollos de Caguas basketball players
Category:Brujos de Guayama players
Category:Mets de Guaynabo basketball players
Category:Naturalised basketball players
Category:Hebraica Macabi players
Category:Amchit Club players
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Matt Freije](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Freije) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Freije?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.