Syracuse Basketball: 4-star Donnie Freeman great fit at IMG, analysts say
By Neil Adler
‘Cuse commit joins re-tooled IMG roster
Syracuse basketball recruiting fanatics, myself included, will enjoy watching Donnie Freeman play other Orange targets in NIBC games as well as at other showcase events.
What’s more, Freeman isn’t the only highly touted prospect to have switched over to IMG in recent months.
Besides Freeman, 2025 five-star point guard Darius Acuff Jr. transferred to IMG in early August from Cass Technical High School in Detroit. In early July, 2024 four-star small forward Chase McCarty moved to the Ascenders from the Westminster Christian Academy in Huntsville, Ala.
In early June, 2024 four-star shooting guard Cole Certa, who is verbally committed to Notre Dame, transferred from Central Catholic High School in Bloomington, Ill., to IMG.
Other players who are expected to be on the Ascenders’ 2023-24 roster include 2024 four-star small forward Amier Ali, 2025 four-star small forward Amari Allen and 2024 four-star power forward Khani Rooths, among others.
Jordan Divens, the national basketball editor at MaxPreps, said to me that Freeman “is a great fit for IMG Academy and adds a much-needed post presence to the Ascenders roster. He will team up with Khani Rooths in an athletic and skilled front court for a team that will begin the season ranked in the top 10 nationally.”
Divens also noted that the “addition of players like Donnie Freeman, Darius Acuff and Chase McCarty bolsters (IMG’s) chances to finish in the top half of the NIBC standings and secure a bid at GEICO Nationals next season.”
Joe Tipton, a stellar national analyst with On3, echoed Divens’ assessment, saying to me, “IMG has such a strong reputation. I think it’ll be beneficial for both sides. He will be playing in the NIBC, going up against some of the top teams in the country so that’ll be excellent in preparing him for Cuse. I’m high on Freeman’s upside.”