Preseason accolades for touted Syracuse freshman Donnie Freeman.
Syracuse Orange men’s basketball forward Donnie Freeman has been named to the Karl Malone Award watchlist, per release. The freshman is one of 20 college basketball players named to the preseason watchlist.
The Karl Malone Award recognizes the top power forward in college basketball annually. The award began in the 2014-15 season.
Freeman is one of three players in the ACC named to Malone Award watchlist. Clemson’s Ian Schieffelin and North Carolina’s Cade Tyson were also nominated. Freeman is also one of two freshman to make the watchlist. He was selected as a McDonald’s All-American in 2024 played in the 2024 Jordan Brand Classic game. He played with the Bahamas National Team for the 2024 Olympics qualifying event in July. Freeman was the sixth-rated recruit in his class, making him Syracuse’s highest ranked recruit in over two decades.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2025 Karl Malone Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March the five finalists will be presented to Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee where a winner will be selected.
Former Syracuse players to be nominated to the Karl Malone Award watchlist include Tyler Lydon in 2017. A Syracuse player has never won the award.