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

[Niastri]

It's just a theory, but Westry was healthy and practicing the last few weeks of the season.

I have come to believe that Westry being the better player is one of the reasons Copeland went adios.

 

[Orange315]

Watching Freeman now, he looks like he can play 3 or 4. Surprised how well he handles and shoots.

 

[721Comstock]

Watching Freeman now, he looks like he can play 3 or 4. Surprised how well he handles and shoots.

I keep coming back to this.

Watching tape of him in HS, the recent vintage croot his moves and shooting most remind me of is...

Mali Richardson.

He's more skilled and fluid than Jerami at this stage.
Ditto for CMac.

A lotta the stuff he does, look like SF/SG-type moves and shots.

 

[Niastri]

I keep coming back to this.

Watching tape of him in HS, the recent vintage croot his moves and shooting most remind me of is...

Mali Richardson.

He's more skilled and fluid than Jerami at this stage.
Ditto for CMac.

A lotta the stuff he does, look like SF/SG-type moves and shots.

Freeman has a post game, too. He might be able to score consistently in the post against certain power forward matchups... I suspect he's too slight to really terrorize ACC big men right now.

But, if he gets switched onto a guard and gets a post up, it's very likely a basket.

 

[SP_Gilbs]

Once again, Freeman with a super impressive game. Had him for 21 points on 8-11 FG 3-4 3PT 2-2 FT and 7 reb in a loss. Looked a bit rough on the defensive end but the versatility he showed on offense was what stood out. If the shooting he showed over the past week is not just a hot stretch and is instead further development, then the ceiling just got that much higher. Get 10-15 more pounds on him this summer and the sky is the limit here.

 

[SP_Gilbs]

Couple of the more impressive moves. Even in college at his height, these aren’t going to be easily defended.

 

[willh19255]

Couple of the more impressive moves. Even in college at his height, these aren’t going to be easily defended.

im getting tatum at duke vibes, we gonna ride him all year hes our alpha. havent had a forward with his offensive moves since cj

 

[SP_Gilbs]

 

[pearl31]

Preface: not saying he's a surefire freshman phenom that can carry a team.

From the recent buzz around him (now some folks talking lotto 2025), his seemingly growing skillset and confidence- there's simply no way he can't be the starting 4 from day one. Despite what some have offered up. And Maliq knows this. And Maliq does not want to play center a bunch again. And hence Maliq left. It's just the fortunate/unfortunate reality of our existing roster makeup and what Donnie brings.

 

[Sbucketball]

I was firmly on team "Donnie isn't a 3", but with the recent press and shooting display, maybe he can play minutes at the 3 if Bell's not playing well, which means we better have someone who can play the 4 for a different lineup.

 

[Scotch]

I love that he's developing his outside shot but I'd like to see more activity around the rim. Again I'm going by a few highlights but I don't want him taking tough turnaround jumpers next year, I want him attacking and mixing it up in the paint a bit more.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

He is an outstanding shooter and yet still a fringe starter

I don’t think he is fringe at all. I think Red could have jettisoned him and kept Brown. He chose Bell.

 

[SP_Gilbs]

I love that he's developing his outside shot but I'd like to see more activity around the rim. Again I'm going by a few highlights but I don't want him taking tough turnaround jumpers next year, I want him attacking and mixing it up in the paint a bit more.

I get what youre saying and agree to an extent but if he has to be guarded out on the perimeter then it opens up even more for the offense. I've seen probably 20-30 full games of Donnie at this point since last summer and its been a pretty big evolution in his game over the past year. Over the summer he did a lot of what youre asking and proved he can be an inside presence. Now his game is expanding and given the fact that he's around 6'10" I think hes realizing that at his size its very difficult to defend his perimeter game so he's starting to defer to that more. As long as he is willing to go back to that inside game when the shots aren't falling from the outside then I dont mind his game becoming more perimeter oriented.

 

[Niastri]

I love that he's developing his outside shot but I'd like to see more activity around the rim. Again I'm going by a few highlights but I don't want him taking tough turnaround jumpers next year, I want him attacking and mixing it up in the paint a bit more.

I like when he gets his man in his back, backs him closer to the basket and then shoots over him on the turnaround.

I didn't like when he dribbled into trouble, then threw up a bad turnaround 18 footer that happened to go in.

But sometimes you accept the little bit of the bad to get all that great offense.

Freeman is really good in the post, I hope he plays inside out a bit, instead of just firing up threes. But it's looking like he'll make threes at a pretty good rate.

Overall, he's a very good offensive player that will be on the court a lot next year.

I hope he's practicing cutting to the basket so he can get lots of dunks off Lampkin bounce passes.

Freeman also should be deadly in the pick and pop. No college guard is going to affect his shot off the switch.

Man, having a center who can play good offense is going to be a treat.

Our starting frontcourt of Lampkin, Freeman, and Bell might average 40+ next year.

 

[Scotch]

I get what youre saying and agree to an extent but if he has to be guarded out on the perimeter then it opens up even more for the offense. I've seen probably 20-30 full games of Donnie at this point since last summer and its been a pretty big evolution in his game over the past year. Over the summer he did a lot of what youre asking and proved he can be an inside presence. Now his game is expanding and given the fact that he's around 6'10" I think hes realizing that at his size its very difficult to defend his perimeter game so he's starting to defer to that more. As long as he is willing to go back to that inside game when the shots aren't falling from the outside then I dont mind his game becoming more perimeter oriented.

Good to hear. In these highlights he’s taking (and making) a lot of tough shots. Hopefully next year Red can coach him to find that balance you mention.

 

[Orangezoo]

I love that he's developing his outside shot but I'd like to see more activity around the rim. Again I'm going by a few highlights but I don't want him taking tough turnaround jumpers next year, I want him attacking and mixing it up in the paint a bit more.

In his tape over the past couple years there is a lot more in the paint than the perimeter to be fair so it’s all there. He’s got a deep toolbag already which will make him extremely difficult to guard. Any PG looking at us should light up with what they will have to work with on the floor to help make their lives easier and successful.

 

[Orangezoo]

I like when he gets his man in his back, backs him closer to the basket and then shoots over him on the turnaround.

I didn't like when he dribbled into trouble, then threw up a bad turnaround 18 footer that happened to go in.

But sometimes you accept the little bit of the bad to get all that great offense.

Freeman is really good in the post, I hope he plays inside out a bit, instead of just firing up threes. But it's looking like he'll make threes at a pretty good rate.

Overall, he's a very good offensive player that will be on the court a lot next year.

I hope he's practicing cutting to the basket so he can get lots of dunks off Lampkin bounce passes.

Freeman also should be deadly in the pick and pop. No college guard is going to affect his shot off the switch.

Man, having a center who can play good offense is going to be a treat.

Our starting frontcourt of Lampkin, Freeman, and Bell might average 40+ next year.

Let’s get a summer trip planned so these guys can really start to gel too

 

[Melancer46]

I love that he's developing his outside shot but I'd like to see more activity around the rim. Again I'm going by a few highlights but I don't want him taking tough turnaround jumpers next year, I want him attacking and mixing it up in the paint a bit more.

He did have a game against La Lumiere about a month ago where he had 35 points and 16 rebounds and roughly 30 of those points were in the paint. La Lumiere's center was out for that game so Donnie was the biggest player on the floor and he absolutely dominated inside.

 

[baggerbob]

I get what youre saying and agree to an extent but if he has to be guarded out on the perimeter then it opens up even more for the offense. I've seen probably 20-30 full games of Donnie at this point since last summer and its been a pretty big evolution in his game over the past year. Over the summer he did a lot of what youre asking and proved he can be an inside presence. Now his game is expanding and given the fact that he's around 6'10" I think hes realizing that at his size its very difficult to defend his perimeter game so he's starting to defer to that more. As long as he is willing to go back to that inside game when the shots aren't falling from the outside then I dont mind his game becoming more perimeter oriented.

At his size he needs to play inside out, ad develope a handle to drive if closely guarded.

 

[SUFan44]

Stud. Best freshman since 'Melo?

 

[hoopsupstate]

At his size he needs to play inside out, ad develope a handle to drive if closely guarded.

I’ve seen him drive it. His ability to shoot it will allow him to pump fake and get to the rim. He’s very good going right.

 

[anglerman]

At his size he needs to play inside out, ad develope a handle to drive if closely guarded.

He has good handle apparently you’ve never seen him play

 

[General20]

At his size he needs to play inside out, ad develope a handle to drive if closely guarded.

I'm no expert on Freeman, I've only seen him play a couple times, so take this with a grain of salt, but from what I've seen when he has a bigger guy guarding him, he mostly tries to take him off the dribble, and when he has a smaller guy on him he mostly tries to post up (sometimes shooting that turn around jumper). He seems to be good st both.

 

[Niastri]

I'm no expert on Freeman, I've only seen him play a couple times, so take this with a grain of salt, but from what I've seen when he has a bigger guy guarding him, he mostly tries to take him off the dribble, and when he has a smaller guy on him he mostly tries to post up (sometimes shooting that turn around jumper). He seems to be good st both.

I like that aspect of Freeman's game. He seems to have been well coached or is just a smart offensive player.

I think his handle is surprisingly good for his size. I have been hearing a lot of comparisons to Derrick Coleman, which is almost blasphemy. Particularly so when his body and his game resemble Coleman's only in that they are both tall.

Well, here’s another blasphemy; Freeman’s game actually reminds me of Carmelo Anthony.

Freeman can drive straight to the basket, he can dribble into the post, he can rebound, and he can shoot reliably it to three point range.

Additionally, Freeman seems to have grown a few inches and added pounds since committing, while simultaneously shooting up the recruiting rankings.

Freeman is also our highest ranked recruit in a long time, after a disappointing period in the programs history.

The whole thing is eerily similar to Carmelo Anthony’s situation coming into Syracuse.

I know, I know, blasphemy!

But I can't stop seeing the similarities.

 

[Digger]

I like that aspect of Freeman's game. He seems to have been well coached or is just a smart offensive player.

I think his handle is surprisingly good for his size. I have been hearing a lot of comparisons to Derrick Coleman, which is almost blasphemy. Particularly so when his body and his game resemble Coleman's only in that they are both tall.

Well, here’s another blasphemy; Freeman’s game actually reminds me of Carmelo Anthony.

Freeman can drive straight to the basket, he can dribble into the post, he can rebound, and he can shoot reliably it to three point range.

Additionally, Freeman seems to have grown a few inches and added pounds since committing, while simultaneously shooting up the recruiting rankings.

Freeman is also our highest ranked recruit in a long time, after a disappointing period in the programs history.

The whole thing is eerily similar to Carmelo Anthony’s situation coming into Syracuse.

I know, I know, blasphemy!

But I can't stop seeing the similarities.

Not disagreeing, just adding Carmelo’s heft/size and physicality on offense were otherworldly with his skill level.