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

[jmcclure33]

“They wanted me and I wanted them.” Love that

 

[pwong]

The Syracuse pledge has long been a highly talented and intriguing prospect and when he is playing with this level of energy, he is a problem for opponents due to his size, length, athleticism and skillset.

He's still not the most polished on offense but he can make shots from mid-range, which he has here, runs the floor with ease, finishes high above the rim and can score on the block.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Of course there are no guarantees with any player, but this kid is the type of athlete you need to be elite. Huge sign for our program turning a corner to have a player like this solidly committed (he sounds as solidly committed as you can get from a 17 year old).

 

[Sbucketball]

Donnie's already a stud, but I have the feeling he's going to take another big step forward this year and come to us in 2024 as a monster. There's some aspects of his game he can polish up, which I think he'll do easily, and then be unstoppable.

Do we/the staff expect him to be one-and-done?

 

[sufandu]

Donnie's already a stud, but I have the feeling he's going to take another big step forward this year and come to us in 2024 as a monster. There's some aspects of his game he can polish up, which I think he'll do easily, and then be unstoppable.

Do we/the staff expect him to be one-and-done?

I think we have to assume that anyone close to MAA status is planning to be one and done. We'll just have to wait and see if it plays out that way.

 

[hoopsupstate]

He sounds like Kris Joseph.

 

[Orangezoo]

He sounds like Kris Joseph.

Loved Kris Jo but at the same stage Donnie is a level above. Kris wasn't quite ready to be a major contributor as a frosh.

 

[CuseMan4]

Top 15 in class cant tell me any different

Ehhhhh I think he’s rated right around where he should be. He’s in the 25-35 range. I think he has some of the best potential in the class though and I think most people would say that too. Jalil is a legit top 5 player in this class though. He’s unreal. Elijah Moore is criminally underrated though. There are some sites that don’t even have him in the top 100. At the VERY LEAST he’s a top 70 player in this class. I’d go as far to say he’s probably in the 50-60 range. But not in the top 100 at some sites is wild

 

[Nicknack]

And the thing is, who cares if he's top 10, top 20 or top 30? We need the right players in the right roles at the right time. It's about filling the role the team needs. As much as I despise Dook, Coach K spoke to this a lot - players accepting their role and producing in that role. This is probably very similar to part of what led to Q's departure to Oregon. Jim needed him to perform a certain role for us to be successful as a team. He wanted somewhat of a different role. That didn't work (although Jimmy transferring in didn't help).

 

[sufandu]

And the thing is, who cares if he's top 10, top 20 or top 30? We need the right players in the right roles at the right time. It's about filling the role the team needs. As much as I despise Dook, Coach K spoke to this a lot - players accepting their role and producing in that role. This is probably very similar to part of what led to Q's departure to Oregon. Jim needed him to perform a certain role for us to be successful as a team. He wanted somewhat of a different role. That didn't work (although Jimmy transferring in didn't help).

I wonder if it's harder to get guys to understand and be willing to fill roles now. Are so many guys coming into college with immediate eyes on the league that they're trying to do what they think the scouts are looking for instead of what the team needs to win? I would love to hear what coaches would say off the record about it.

 

[Nicknack]

I wonder if it's harder to get guys to understand and be willing to fill roles now. Are so many guys coming into college with immediate eyes on the league that they're trying to do what they think the scouts are looking for instead of what the team needs to win? I would love to hear what coaches would say off the record about it.

Yeah, I definitely think so. Because if their role isn't perceived by them to be what it they believe will help them get into the nba, then many of them now can bounce. Any dude on your bench can and should be thinking that they should be starting.

 

[pwong]

Anyone know if the staff was at any of Donnie’s games yet? All of Mike Waters Peach Jam tweets were about 2025 kids after spending multiple days watching Elijah Moore

 

[50YRsofCuse]

I know that Adrian Autry was at Peach Jam watching Team Melo the other night. So I’m sure that he has seen each Bethea and Freeman play.

 

[orangemass]

Donovan freeman. Freudian slip?

 

[721Comstock]

Donovan freeman. Freudian slip?

LOL WUT?

That’s his given name.

He goes by “Donnie”.

 

[HoustonCuse]

LOL WUT?

That’s his given name.

He goes by “Donnie”.

They spelled it wrong in the tweet.

 

[721Comstock]

They spelled it wrong in the tweet.

Roosevelt Bowie & Buddy Boheim nod their heads knowingly.

 

[50YRsofCuse]

I know that Adrian Autry was at Peach Jam watching Team Melo the other night. So I’m sure that he has seen each Bethea and Freeman play.

Just as a follow up to who Adrian Autry was watching at the Peach Jam, I sat across court from him and Gerry McNamara today at the Team Final (J. Bethea) game vs Mokan Elite Team(Curt Givens and John Bol). Adrian stayed through the 1st half and then he left to see the remainder of the Team Takeover game (Donnie Freeman}. Team Takeover won that game and will play the MoKan Elite team At 7:30 tonight.

Jalil Bethea scored 8 of the first 10 points for Team Final and then for the rest of the half he only8 touched the ball twice. It wa almost like all the Team Final plays were to the opposite side of the floor from where Bethea was playing. In the second half, he scored 12 more points pretty effortlessly but the box score showed he was 8 for 19. I was disappointed because he was not one of the primary ball handlers on the team. Robert Wright, III and Ahmed Nowell were the ball handlers. Bethea played mostly on the wing. Team Final lost 62-50.

The Team Takeover - Mokan Elite game is at 7:30pm and can be viewed at

Nike EYBL - Livestream — Nike EYBL

nikeeyb.com

 

[50YRsofCuse]

Just as a follow up to who Adrian Autry was watching at the Peach Jam, I sat across court from him and Gerry McNamara today at the Team Final (J. Bethea) game vs Mokan Elite Team(Curt Givens and John Bol). Adrian stayed through the 1st half and then he left to see the remainder of the Team Takeover game (Donnie Freeman}. Team Takeover won that game and will play the MoKan Elite team At 7:30 tonight.

Jalil Bethea scored 8 of the first 10 points for Team Final and then for the rest of the half he only8 touched the ball twice. It wa almost like all the Team Final plays were to the opposite side of the floor from where Bethea was playing. In the second half, he scored 12 more points pretty effortlessly but the box score showed he was 8 for 19. I was disappointed because he was not one of the primary ball handlers on the team. Robert Wright, III and Ahmed Nowell were the ball handlers. Bethea played mostly on the wing. Team Final lost 62-50.

The Team Takeover - Mokan Elite game is at 7:30pm and can be viewed at

Nike EYBL - Livestream — Nike EYBL

nikeeyb.com

Oh, one last note of interest is that if Team Takeover beats Mokan Elite tonight, they play the winner of the New York Renaissance (Dylan Harper/Tyler Betsy) - Vegas Elite (Aidan Sherril) for the EYBL Peach Jam championship tomorrow at 4PM. Dylan Harper is the 247 #1 ranked player for 2024. The game will be able to be viewed at the same shown in the previous post.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[cuseallday]

Donnie and TTO are on to the 17U Peach Jam finals. Tomorrow at 4 pm against Vegas Elite. The game is on ESPNU. Let's go!

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[rrlbees]

 

[Giants1973]

Looks like got a Future 5 star

 

[MSOrange]