Syracuse Basketball: Donnie Freeman wants 5-star Jalil Bethea at ‘Cuse

Syracuse basketball 2024 four-star commit Donnie Freeman recently conducted a Q&A on his Instagram page, and, naturally, the topic of Orange 2024 five-star priority recruit Jalil Bethea came up.

The 6-foot-4 Bethea, an elite guard from the Philadelphia area who is rated in the top 10 nationally by ESPN, recently revealed a final five of Syracuse basketball, Alabama, Kansas, Miami and Villanova.

Bethea will reportedly take a second official visit to the Hill this coming September. He officially visited the ‘Cuse last October, after being offered a scholarship by the Orange coaching staff the prior month.

On Instagram, Freeman was asked who he wants to see join him and four-star shooting guard Elijah Moore from New York City in the ‘Cuse 2024 class. Freeman, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Washington, D.C., responded by saying “hopefully” Jalil Bethea.

Freeman, who verbally committed to Syracuse basketball in May over other finalists Alabama, Iowa, Texas and Georgia Tech and in early July won a Peach Jam title on Nike’s EYBL circuit, was also asked if he has reached out to Bethea about joining him and the 6-foot-4 Moore in the Orange’s 2024 class. Freeman’s response: “Sure did.”

Four-star commit Donnie Freeman wants five-star guard Jalil Bethea in the Syracuse basketball 2024 cycle.

Bethea has multiple official visits set up over the next few months, so it could be a while before he makes a college decision. That being said, if he were to pick the Orange (and I think he will), it would prove massive for the team’s rising-senior class.

Freeman, out of St. John’s College High School in D.C., is a top-30 prospect. Moore, who is a standout for Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, N.Y., and verbally committed to the ‘Cuse in late January over Alabama, Arkansas, Miami and Oklahoma State, is a top-60 overall player.

Bethea, meanwhile, is arguably the hottest prospect in his class. He’s a consensus top-20 national prospect and was an All-American as a junior at Archbishop Wood Catholic High School in Warminster, Pa.

With Moore and Freeman on board, at present, the Syracuse basketball 2024 cycle is ranked in the top 10 across the country. If Jalil Bethea were to pledge to the ‘Cuse, I believe the team’s 2024 class would vault into the top five.

On Instagram, one commenter said that a 2024 cycle of Moore, Freeman and Bethea would be the best in the country. Freeman responded with, “By far.” Love that.

There were a lot of fun and interesting tidbits in this Q&A. Freeman says his first dunk was in 7th grade. I’m jealous.

Some of his senior-year goals at St. John’s College High School are to win games, be well prepared for college, and compete in the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game as well as the Nike Hoop Summit.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Freeman gives the Orange’s facilities a 10. When asked if he intends to be a one-and-done player, he said he wants to win, “but if it happens it happens.”

Someone asked him what trait/skill is needed to play at a high level, and the Syracuse basketball 2024 commit responded with “defense.” Super excited to hear that.

His first-year goals at the ‘Cuse? “Produce and win.”

When asked what year the Orange is going to win a national championship, Freeman said hopefully, his freshman year. He said he wants to try and pull a Melo – that is, cut down the nets at the end of the NCAA Tournament like Syracuse basketball legend Carmelo Anthony did back in 2003.

Yes, please. I can’t wait to see Donnie Freeman and Elijah Moore don ‘Cuse uniforms down the line. Should Jalil Bethea join them, wow. Look out for this team.