5-star Donnie Freeman to help Syracuse basketball get 'back to where it needs to be'

Syracuse basketball incoming freshman Donnie Freeman, a 2024 five-star power forward from Washington, D.C., looks to get to the 'Cuse campus soon as players are engaged in summer workouts.

The 6-foot-9 Freeman, rated as high as No. 6 nationally in his class, recently suited up for the Bahamas national team at a qualifying tournament in Valencia, Spain, as this squad aimed to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris that start later this month.

While Freeman barely played, and the Bahamas came up one victory short of qualifying for the upcoming Olympics, the Orange incoming freshman told Syracuse.com's Mike Waters in a recent interview that being on the Bahamas' roster was an eye-opening experience.

Last Sunday, in the title game of this qualifying tournament, the Bahamas fell to mighty Spain, 86-78, although the Bahamas upset several higher-ranked groups to reach the final contest. Freeman, who was born in the Bahamas and moved to our nation's capital when he was 6 years old per Waters, appeared in one encounter during the qualifying tourney in Valencia.

He had a tremendous senior year during the 2023-24 season at the powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., played in several All-America games and was previously a standout prospect competing in the loaded DMV.

Five-star Donnie Freeman is ready to help Syracuse basketball win a lot of games.

During his experience while on the Bahamas national team roster, Freeman says he learned a lot. Besides the qualifying tournament in Spain, he also participated in a training camp before the tourney where members of the Bahamas squad gathered to practice and work out.

On this team's roster were numerous NBA players, such as Buddy Hield, Deandre Ayton and Eric Gordon. According to Waters' story, while suiting up for the Bahamas, Freeman says that Ayton become a mentor to him.

Ayton was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and is currently a member of the Portland Trail Blazers. "Deandre Ayton took me under his wing," Freeman said to Waters. "He was a real role model. On the court and off the court, really. On the court, there were little things he’d teach me."

In playing alongside NBA veterans for the Bahamas, Freeman added, "They get to the gym way earlier. Their preparation as far as scouting and knowing the opponent. Their attention to detail. That’s something I’m going to take with me to Syracuse."

The Syracuse basketball incoming freshman, understandably, said it was an adjustment playing alongside and against professionals. The speed of the game. How physical it is. Plus, as he noted, Europeans have a different style of play than in the United States.

"In America, we do a lot of iso ball and ball screens," he told Waters. "In Europe, they set a lot of off-ball screens and back-screens. They take their time and run the shot clock down. And they’re a lot older."

While Freeman said it was "tough" barely playing in the qualifying tournament, he added, "I had to grow up quick."

It's understandable if it was somewhat frustrating for Freeman not to play much at all for the Bahamas national team, however, I'm sure his experience with the squad will prove invaluable as he gets ready for the 2024-25 season on the Hill.

Freeman, who is already receiving some buzz for the 2025 NBA Draft, is expected to play sizable minutes for the Orange as a freshman, whether as a starter or a key reserve. Per Waters, he will be in Central New York soon.

'Cuse coaches are "excited for me to get up there," Freeman said in the Syracuse.com article. "They want to help me reach my goals and I want to help get Syracuse basketball back to where it needs to be."

Orange Nation can't wait to see Donnie don a Syracuse basketball uniform in the coming months.