A Closer Look at Donnie Freeman and St. John's Frontcourt Rebuild
Overshadowed some by UConn’s run to the national title game, Rick Pitino and St. John’s put together a second consecutive stellar season in 2025-26 — winning both the Big East regular season and tournament titles and reaching the Sweet 16 before falling to Duke, 80-75, in a terrific battle.
Pitino’s third group in Queens was powered by its frontcourt trio of Dillon Mitchell, Bryce Hopkins, and of course, Big East Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor.
With all three off to pursue NBA dreams, Pitino’s frontcourt will certainly look different next season, but he’s optimistic about the length and “explosive” athletic ability of his new group.
At the heart of the frontcourt overhaul will be returning center Ruben Prey, who will be tasked with making the leap from top-notch role player to starter, and a talented transfer in Donnie Freeman.
“He’s a legitimate 6’10,” Pitino said of Freeman this spring. “A very gifted offensive player — quite explosive, as well as with great great.”
“Donnie can play the three, four, and five.”
Freeman certainly has the individual credentials, even if the Syracuse clubs he started for over the past two seasons struggled.
The Washington, D.C. native was considered a top-ten player in the class of 2024 — a McDonalds All-American who also represented the Bahamas on their national team (Freeman was born in the Bahamas and came to American at age six) alongside Buddy Hield, Deandre Ayton, Eric Gordon, and VJ Edgecombe.
Following a sophomore season in which Freeman averaged 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, he looked destined for Kentucky this spring after visiting Lexington. But Pitino and the Johnies swooped in late and got themselves a forward who has produced from the jump (13.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg as a freshman), despite battling through injuries the past two seasons.
A Closer Look at Donnie Freeman
In Freeman, St. John’s adds an outstanding rebounder who finished at a terrific clip at the rim. His 22.7% Defensive Rebound Percentage is in the 93rd percentile in the country, while he connected on 72% of his shots at the rim, per CBB Analytics.
As a sophomore, Freeman had eight games of 20+ points, had 10+ rebounds four times, and scored a career-high 28 points against Wake Forest.
Syracuse’s Net Rating was +9.4 with Freeman on the court.
Ideally, Pitino will unlock Freeman’s offensive game even further. He can hit threes, but has been relatively inefficient beyond the arc (30% on catch-and-shoot attempts), while he shot just 7-22 on hook shots last season.
Freeman ranked in the 50th percentile when in spot-up situations, 35th as a pick-and-roll roll man, and 22nd when posting up.
Where Freeman can be a matchup problem comes with his ability to put the ball on the deck at his size. He finished in the 62nd percentile in isolation scoring last year and when he’s aggressive and getting downhill he welcomes contact (15 and-1s) and finishes at a high clip at the rim. Freeman shot at a much higher rate off the dribble last year (43% on dribble jumpers) versus catch-and-shoot opportunities.
Defensively, Freeman’s length bothers opponents, who shot 38% when being checked by him last year.
The Biggest Question Mark
Freeman played in just 37 of Syracuse’s 65 games over the past two seasons. The Orange were 10-12 with him in the lineup last year (vs. 5-5 without him), and 6-8 when he played as a freshman (the team went 14-19 on the season).
With Pitino’s relentless focus on conditioning, St. John’s is an ideal fit for Freeman, but the fact remains that he’s missed nearly half of his team’s games through two seasons.
A Look at the Film
To give readers a true feel for Freeman’s game, here is a mix of makes, misses, assists, and turnovers from late in the season:
Meanwhile, here is a look at Freeman at his best — scoring a career high 28 points and putting up 22 more at North Carolina:
The Final Word
The loss of Ejiofor looms large for the Johnnies this season. It’s nearly impossible to replace his statistical production, never mind his defensive prowess as a shot blocker, rebounder, and big who so capably switches onto guards.
Prey will take on a significantly larger role, while newcomer Babacar Sane will be asked to bring some of the brute force and athleticism that Hopkins and Mitchell brought to the 3/4 spots. Beyond Prey, the center options are massive, but young, as both freshman Theo Edema (6’11, 235) and Lazar Stojkovic (7’0, 200) are still teenagers.
Freeman’s play should go a long way in determining the ceiling of this club. His rebounding percentages were down slightly during his sophomore year, but he remained a great presence on the glass, while finishing inside at an elite clip.
If Freeman can stay healthy, the tools are there for him to become one of the Big East's most impactful frontcourt players. St. John's doesn't need him to be Ejiofor, but if Pitino can unlock a more consistent version of the former five-star recruit, Freeman has the talent to give the Johnnies another All-Big East caliber presence in the paint.
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