Class of 2024 - PF Donnie Freeman (MD / IMG) COMMITTED & SIGNED TO SYRACUSE (5/11/23) | Page 65 | Syracusefan.com

Class of 2024 PF Donnie Freeman (MD / IMG) COMMITTED & SIGNED TO SYRACUSE (5/11/23)

You know the sport is horrible when I’m praying Donnie doesn’t do a second year in college because I don’t want him poached with NIL money before he goes to the NBA.
 
Playing in an Olympic qualifier is going to be terrific for Freeman.

Even a lower level team like the Bahamas is going to be a really different atmosphere than his high school squad. The entire roster is pro players, including three current NBA players.

It will be great preparation for him coming into his freshman season.

Congrats to Donnie Freeman!
 
Interesting to note, the Bahamas are on a 4 game win streak. Knowing almost nothing about international basketball, I assume it's better to win than lose, but beating Argentina twice, Cuba and Uruguay might not be a major accomplishment.

It looks like the NBA players showing as being on their roster haven't played for the Bahamas since winning the pre qualifier tournament last summer, which makes sense since they have NBA teams that pay them to be with the team during the season...

What isn't certain is if those guys are going to go with the team in July. Various sources (and there aren't a lot covering Bahamian basketball) argue about which of the NBA guys will play. I really hope some of them are there, for Freeman's sake, so Freeman can see how the best players in the world go about practicing and getting ready for games.

The Bahamas has never won anything internationally in basketball, and rarely even qualify for this level of tournament. I really hope the NBA players can make this tournament, for their country's sale. It would be really big for such a small country to make the Olympics.

The Bahamas will play Finland and Poland in July. If they win the group, they continue to play in a playoff which sounded similar to world cup play.

Finland didn't have any NBA guys on their current roster, but does have a bunch of veteran players 6'9" or so. Again, an entirely pro team, with players from all over Europe.

Poland actually looks pretty similar, but does have Balcerowski, a 24 year old 7'2" guy who has been on the national team since 2017. He doesn't seem to be anywhere near their best player, but might be the farthest away from anything Freeman has seen on a basketball court.
 
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#2 for our boy, Donnie! Only behind Flagg...
 
Donnie’s interview with Mike Waters yesterday was great. He seems extremely likable, and sounds like he’s got a great head on those shoulders. With how insane this portal scene is, I’m excited to root him on for as long as we’ve got him in Orange. Sounds like he’ll be about 7’2 by the time he’s on the court this Fall;-)
 

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