By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Coming off a season in which he was named the Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year, Iowa forward Owen Freeman could have almost certainly cashed in with name, image and likeness and transferred to another school.

A player with his size at 6-foot-10, and with his skill set, Freeman probably could have had his pick of schools in the transfer portal if he were driven by the almighty dollar.

Some kids can get rich in college these days thanks to NIL, with one example being former Illinois forward Coleman Hawkins, who has transferred to Kansas State for his fifth and final season, and with reportedly a $2 million NIL deal as part of the incentive.

Hawkins spent four seasons playing for Illinois and he helped win a lot of games.

But $2 million is hard to turn down, and the rules now allow for this kind of get-rich-quick deal, so Hawkins is just acting in his best interest, and more power to him.

Freeman, on the other hand, paid no attention to potential NIL offers because he believes strongly that being a Hawkeye and playing for Fran McCaffery is in his best interest.

“I know this is where God wants me and this is where I’m supposed to be,” Freeman said before practice on Monday. “So, none of that really affected anything.

“I know I want to play for coach McCaffery and the coaching staff here and just rep the black and gold.”

Freeman was among a handful of Iowa men’s basketball players that met with the media on Monday at the Iowa practice facility..

Senior forward Payton Sandfort and junior guard Josh Dix also met with the media on Monday, and both were asked if they received any NIL offers from other schools.

Sandfort tested the NBA Draft process, but he ultimately chose to return to Iowa for his senior season.

The 6-7 Waukee native said he heard lots of rumors in which his name was linked to potential NIL deals, but once he decided to withdraw from the NBA draft, there was only one place Payton Sandfort wanted to be.

“No one directly called me,” Payton Sandfort said. “But there were obviously a ton of rumors and stuff.”

“What we have here is very rare compared to most places. I think that’s kind of what makes this place special. All of us love this place and love what coach has built and love the team that we’ve built here.”

The 6-4 Dix was linked to a rumor in which he was being pursued by Creighton, and that NIL was a big part of what was being used to entice him.

Dix is also from Council Bluffs, which is near the Creighton campus in Omaha.

“On social media, you hear rumors, but I didn’t really pay attention because I knew that I wanted to be here,” said Dix, who made significant improvement last season. “We kind of grew a brotherhood last year. I felt that we all kind of knew that we could all stick together and become special.

“And Payton coming back just really helps that. He got a lot of experience from the NBA Combine, so he’s going to be good for us.”

Payton Sandfort led Iowa in scoring and made 3-point baskets last season. He also became the first Iowa men’s basketball player to record a triple double as he finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over Penn State.

His name also appeared in some mock drafts in the days leading up to the NBA draft, including some in the first round.

Payton Sandfort was asked Monday if there was a time during the draft process that he thought he would stay in the draft and leave Iowa where his younger brother, Pryce Sandfort, is also a member of the Iowa men’s basketball team.

“Most of the time, to be completely honest,” he said. “There was a ton of good feedback, and honestly, there were people advising me not to go back n decision day because there was so much good stuff on the table.

“But at the do the day, I think I would have lived with too much regret about leaving one more year on the table and geting to play with my brother and make history in an Iowa uniform

Iowa did lose two players to the transfer portal as second-team All-Big Ten senior guard Tony Perkins transferred to Missouri for his fifth and final season, while junior guard Dasonte Bowen transferred to St. Bonaventure after losing his starting position last season.

Perkins played four seasons for Iowa and helped win a lot of games for Fran McCaffery as a versatile combo guard from Indianapolis.

There were conflicting reports about whether NIL was a big factor in Perkins’ decision to transfer to Missouri.

Perkins reportedly was paid at least $200,000 in NIL money to transfer to Missouri. However, he said on social media that money wasn’t a big factor.

Whatever the case, Perkins acted in his best interest. He gave Iowa four years and decided to move on.

There is no right or wrong in these cases because each case is unique.

And though the loss of Perkins as a 6-4 All-Big Ten guard is a blow, Fran McCaffery was able to hold together the bulk of his roster despite being short-handed with NIL money compared to some schools.

Payton Sandfort says that’s a tribute to the players on the team, and to the culture that Fran McCaffery has built.

“Some of these guys need to be appreciated because it’s like you’re taking a huge pay cut to come back and it’s not as easy on guys,” Payton Sandfort said. “But everyone here is a loyal person and really good people. No one is really driven by money, which is why we have such a special thing here and why I’m so excited about this team.

“You go to other places, and you have money competition and all sorts of ulterior motives going on. But everyone here just wants to play ball.”