On paper, the biggest loss into the transfer portal for the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team this offseason was Donnie Freeman. While some may see Freeman’s exit as addition by subtraction, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that Freeman was the Orange’s leader in both points and rebounds. That leaves a sizable hole for the Orange to fill at power forward. What will that position look like during the 2026-27 season? Let’s take an early look at the depth chart at power forward.
Starter: Sadiq White
The silver lining of Freeman’s exit is that the starting job will undoubtedly belong to White. He had plenty of ups and downs during his freshman season, but there is no question that White showed flashes of being an impact player. He’s a highlight-reel dunk waiting to happen, a hard-working rebounder, and a potential lock-down defender, all wrapped into one package. Down the stretch, White saw an uptick in his minutes and played some of his best games. In fact, he probably should have been playing more minutes late in the season. The caveat is that he still has a long way to go to be a consistent difference-maker in the ACC. How much he develops from his freshman to sophomore season will be a huge factor in Syracuse’s season. But White will have the opportunity to show what he can do as the Orange’s starting power forward.
Backup: Francis Folefac
Getting Folefac in the transfer portal was huge for Gerry McNamara and the Orange. Of course, McNamara recruited him to Siena, where Folefac averaged 11.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game as a freshman. His 18 points and seven rebounds against Duke in the NCAA Tournament were something of a coming-out party for Folefac. At 6’7’’, he might be a little undersized for a power forward. But at 245 pounds, Folefac has plenty of muscle to battle in the paint, as well as the athleticism to guard multiple positions. He’s an excellent option to push White for playing time, but because the two have different skill sets, they should complement each other well, giving McNamara some versatility at that position.
Third String: Tasman Goodrick
Goodrick is another Siena transfer who is following McNamara to Syracuse. He figures to be the Orange’s backup center this season, as that’s what the 6’10’’ Australian played during his two seasons with the Saints. But in the ACC, Goodrick could also play a little power forward. With Folefac being a little undersized, Goodrick gives the Orange another option at that position, providing a backup for White without sacrificing size. In some instances, McNamara could potentially play Goodrick together with starting center Luke Wilson, allowing the Orange to play with two big men. It may not be a common lineup, but it could be a nice option for McNamara to have in his back pocket.
Emergency Option: Mark Morano Mahmutovic
In all likelihood, Mahmutovic is not going to be positioned at the power forward spot at all this season. The Slovenian-born sharpshooter is mostly going to be playing on the wing. However, he does have decent size at 6’7’’. That means he’s around the same height as Folefac, even if the Siena transfer has more than a few pounds on him. Nevertheless, if McNamara wanted to run a small lineup with as many shooters as possible on the floor, Mahmutovic could conceivably be the de facto power forward.
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