Armaan Franklin

Armaan Franklin's Biography

Armaan Franklin, born on November 17, 2000, is an accomplished American professional basketball player who currently shows his prowess on the court for Hapoel Afula as part of the Ligat Winner Sal. This however, is a long way from his humble beginnings in Indiana, where he played college basketball, carving out an illustrious career for the Indiana Hoosiers, before further enhancing his reputation as a formidable player with the Virginia Cavaliers.

As Armaan matured, so did his playing style. Standing as a three-year starter for the Cathedral Irish in Indianapolis, under the discerning guidance of coach Jason Delaney, Franklin led his team to a notable 19–5 record while still a junior. As a sophomore, his stats were already promising as he averaged 10.0 points and 3.0 rebounds. By the time he was a junior, his game had only improved, averaging an impressive 23.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

His outstanding performance on the court didn’t go unnoticed. Indeed, following his junior year, he was selected as part of the core team of Indiana Junior All-Stars, and was also chosen for the Supreme 15 All-State underclass team by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. His senior year in 2018-2019 proved to be even more stellar, with Franklin averaging 23.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and securing an impressive 2.3 steals per game.

As is to be expected, such a talent didn’t go unnoticed. A slew of offers poured in from respected sport franchises including Indiana, Purdue, Louisville, Ohio State, Clemson, Butler, and Xavier among others. Making a firm commitment to the Hoosiers on September 6, 2018, Franklin signed his letter of intent on November 18, 2018.

Enrolling at Indiana University a year later, Franklin began his freshman year with impressive results. From the 32 games he played, he started in 9, averaging 3.7 points per game and netting an average of 13.8 minutes per game. It’s worth noting one of the highlights of his freshman year – a season-high 17 points, including a game-winning 3-pointer with just 15.7 seconds left against Notre Dame.

Just one year later, Franklin had moved from strength to strength. As a sophomore, he averaged a solid 11.4 points per game, and 30.1 minutes per game over 20 games. One particular game that stood out was against Stanford, where Franklin had one of his best performances – 13 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists in 40 minutes – also holding top-10 recruit Ziaire Williams to a mere 1-of-10 shooting. Clearly, Franklin’s shooting skills had developed – he shot a team-best 42.4 percent from three-point range for the Hoosiers during his sophomore season, firmly establishing him as Indiana’s most consistent shooter of the season. By then, Franklin was the second-leading scorer for Indiana, and was widely regarded as one of the Big Ten’s most improved players. A spotlight of the season was Franklin’s dramatic buzzer-beating game-winner, leading his team to a thrilling 67–65 upset win over AP No. 8 Iowa.

March 23, 2021 signaled a new trajectory for Franklin. Following the departure of Indiana head coach Archie Miller, he entered the transfer portal, tentatively stepping away from his career as a Hoosier. He was considering his options with Illinois, Louisville and Georgia before choosing Virginia over Indiana. Despite the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic and never visiting the Charlottesville campus, Franklin decided to commit to Virginia on the advice of his trusted circle.

Being one of those players who participated in the 2020–21 season meant he was eligible for an extra year of eligibility, allowing him three years of play at Virginia. But life had a different plan. After going undrafted in the 2023 NBA draft, Franklin got a shot with the Denver Nuggets during the 2023 NBA Summer League and was signed to play with them on July 18, 2023. However, he was waived on October 13 and joined the Grand Rapids Gold on October 30.

Life continued to knock on Franklin’s door. On August 25, 2024, he signed with Hapoel Afula of the Ligat Winner Sal, a decision that has seen him evolve into the respected professional basketball player that he is today. In Franklin’s story, we see the tale of a determined young man who took every opportunity that was thrown his way, turning each setback into a stepping stone for greater things. His journey speaks to the power of resilience and the unwavering belief in one’s abilities.