Syracuse freshman Donnie Freeman is Syracuse’s highest ranked recruit in over two decades. He’s accepted the external expectations, but internally focused on doing the work.
Syracuse Orange men’s basketball freshman Donnie Freeman didn’t have the basketball summer he expected. Before he was ever a ballyhooed Syracuse recruit and high school basketball star, Freeman moved when he was just six years old to Washington, D.C. He was born in the Bahamas in August 2005.
So when he had the opportunity to play for his native Bahamian National team that participated in an Olympic qualifying tournament this past July, he figured he’d be a featured part of the team. That didn’t quite happen.
“I took it kind of hard honestly, because, you know, as a player you put so much into the game,” Freeman began. “On a stage like that, you want to be able to play, but everything’s just not going to happen like that. And it even might be a time like that this year where I might not play the games that I want to, but you just got to be a good teammate and encourage the guys around you.”
So that was the focus for Freeman. He had to learn other ways to contribute if he wasn’t going to be on the court.
A star at both St. John’s College High School and IMG Academy, Freeman had been accustom to playing heavy minutes and being relied upon. He appeared in both the McDonald’s All American game and Jordan Brand Classic in 2024. But with his Bahamian National Team he didn’t get much playing time alongside some distinguished professional basketball players.
Said Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry, “The one thing he took from it was just the preparation piece of it. How hard those guys work and prepare and the movement and how hard they work on their craft. He got a small glimpse of that.”
Freeman said he learned valuable lessons at that level, including the groundwork and the ability to stay engaged mentally from the bench. He’s expected to play a large role at Syracuse this season, although on a team that intends to play with a deep rotation. The Olympic experience figures to help Freeman navigate the challenges ahead in his first season of college basketball.
“Honestly, I would say probably just be ready whenever your name’s called,” Freeman said of what he learned this summer. “You never know what’s going to happen. So even if you don’t think you’re going to get in, your name might get called. Always be prepared to go.”
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The Olympic experience also included exposure to some of the world’s top players. Freeman experienced surprise when seeing one of the best up close.
“When we got to Greece, being on the floor with Giannis [Antetokounmpo] was kind of a (shock). I think that was probably the wild moment. Like, whatever you guys see on TV about Giannis is true,” Freeman said.
Freeman also had the privilege of being around professionals on his own team, including NBA players in Buddy Hield, Eric Gordon and Deandre Ayton. Freeman and Baylor freshman VJ Edgecombe spent most of their time with Ayton, the Portland Trailblazer center and first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Ayton, a former Arizona star, took the time to shoot with Freeman and Edgecombe outside of practice. They often went out together and spent time off the court.
“We kind of clicked, but it was just hanging out with him and picking up things from a guy like that,” Freeman said. “You can’t really put a price tag on something like that. Like, that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for sure.”
Freeman learned from Ayton the seriousness and intensity of the everyday grind at the professional level. He also learned from Ayton, he said, not to get too caught up in fixing yesterday or trying to control the future, instead to just focus on the task at hand for that given day.
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Coming into this season with Syracuse, Freeman understands the hype that has come along with his recruiting profile. He was a late riser in his class, ascending to the No. 6 ranked recruit on ESPN, making him the highest ranked recruit at Syracuse since Carmelo Anthony. Of course, expectations are not to live up to the legacy of Anthony, but Freeman’s talent is apparent.
“Donnie is really talented,” Autry said. “He’s really kind of figured out how to use his abilities during different matchups so far in our gym. He’s a young man that’s battling. He’s not scared. He wants to do well. He’s never gonna quit. I’ve been impressed with that. Being able to respond to mistakes. Being able to respond to things and get right back to it. He’s a willing learner. And he’s receptive to that. That’s what I’ve been impressed with.”
For now, Freeman is taking it one day at a time. Handling this level of notoriety is something new from him. He talks about acceptance — with the understanding to still do his part and put in the work — and being prepared to live with the outcome.
“I didn’t really know how to handle it per se. It was all new to me,” Freeman said of the recruiting hype coming into Syracuse. “It was kind of different from where I came from and especially how fast things happen. But the people around me, like Red [Autry], Brenden [Straughn], Eddie [Lampkin] and my teammates, they all kind of helped me get adjusted.
“So now it’s smooth sailing. Now I kind of go put the work in and just take every day, day-by-day. Just let the chips fall forward.”