Syracuse basketball star Donnie Freeman is a future NBA prospect. However, a recent foot injury put those plans on hold, and he decided to come back to Syracuse.
On Thursday, Freeman was officially cleared to play in his sophomore year, per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.
He will take part in all future basketball activities. Last year, Freeman averaged 13.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while playing in 14 games.
All the while, Syracuse finished the season at 14-19 and 7-13 in the ACC. Ultimately, the Orange missed the NCAA tournament.
In 2023, Donnie Freeman committed to play basketball at Syracuse. He was the highest-rated recruit in program history since Carmelo Anthony.
Since then, Freeman has been seen as an up-and-coming star in the ACC. Altogether, he is a triple threat in the areas of scoring, rebounding, and defense.
Furthermore, Freeman, while healthy, can become the type of player tantamount to greatness. He, alongside guard JJ Starling, can help carry the Orange in the future.
For this year, Freeman will likely expand his role as a leader and build off the success of his freshman year. Additionally, the team is looking for him to strengthen his resolve, shoot more consistently, protect the ball, and reduce turnovers.
The expectations for Syracuse in 2025-2026
The Orange are entering it's third year under head coach Adrian Autry. Altogether, the team will look differently as a result of the departure of several players.
Among them include Jyare Davis, Eddie Lampkin, Jaquan Carlos, Lucas Taylor, and Naheem McLeod.
In addition to Freeman and Starling, Chris Bell and Peter Mastervich are returning to solidify a solid core. Both of whom are improving players with more room to grow.
Meanwhile, the Orange will rely on a stacked recruiting class that is ranked 17th in the nation.
As for Freeman, he will have more space to step up his game and lead by example.
