TWO years ago, 6ft 11in Joel Freeland was stacking shelves in Sainsbury's, travelling down twice a week from Farnham to Southampton to play basketball for Solent Stars under-18s.
Last week in the grand surroundings of Madison Square Gardens, New York, the 19-year-old's name was read out as a first-round NBA pick by the Portland Trailblazers.
Achieving the American dream is an astonishing feat by a young man who, on arrival at Solent, could not even do a left handed lay-up!
Freeland was introduced to Solent's Bev Guymon at the Bucknall Essential Skills Camp at Crystal Palace.
She recalled: "I spoke to Joel and, like all young players, he told me he wanted to play in America. I knew there was only one person who could teach Joel the skills he needed to play at that level and that was (my husband) Jimmie, who was himself an NBA draft choice in the early 70s."
Full story in today's Daily Echo
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