Donnie Freeman’s freshman season left Syracuse fans clamoring to see more. Before going down with a season-ending injury in early January, Freeman averaged 13.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per contest on 50% from the field. While it didn’t lead to many major Orange victories and didn’t make national headlines at the time, Freeman is firmly on the radar as a breakout candidate this year.
CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein named Freeman one of 15 players who will become stars during the upcoming season. Freeman, Duke’s Isaiah Evans, and North Carolina’s Seth Trimble were the only players from the ACC to make the list.
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“Freeman’s production as a freshman essentially occurred in obscurity since he missed approximately half of last season due to a foot injury,” Rothstein wrote for College Hoops Today. “If Syracuse returns to national relevance this season, the 6-9 Freeman will instantly become a national name. Blessed with gifts from God physically, Freeman tallied five games last season with at least 15 points and 10 rebounds in just 14 outings. Remember the name.”
“He’s going to be part of a potential revival for a blue blood program or close to a blue blood program that has not played in the NCAA Tournament since 2021,” Rothstein said on the Inside College Basketball Podcast. “When he is healthy, he looks like he has the ability to be one of the best players in the ACC.”
He continued about Syracuse’s supporting cast, claiming that the Orange have three potential All-ACC players in Freeman, J.J. Starling, and Georgia Tech transfer Naithan George. Rothstein also said that Freeman was “Cut from a similar cloth” as CJ Fair and Baye Moussa Keita as a “prototypical active Syracuse big man.”
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Among high-major true freshmen last season, Freeman ranked 15th in points per game, but only two of the top 14 returned to college (Boogie Fland and Jeremiah Wilkinson), and neither of those players are returning to their same school for year two.
Freeman also finished third behind top 15 NBA Draft picks Derik Queen and Thomas Sorber among high-major freshmen last season in rebounds per game.
