By JAMES MADDEN
Rick Pitino and St. John’s have officially landed their first big-time pickup in the transfer portal this offseason.
Syracuse star transfer Donnie Freeman signed with St. John’s, the school announced on Wednesday.
“Donnie Freeman has great size and offensive potential,” said Pitino. “He’s a big addition for our frontcourt and we’re excited to have him as part of our Johnnie family.”
A 6-foot-9 forward from Washington, DC, Freeman played two seasons at Syracuse but announced his intentions to transfer following the firing of Red Autry.
In a season that was affected by injuries, Freeman played 23 games for the Orange and averaged 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game when healthy.
Kentucky was the frontrunner for Freeman for weeks, but a late push made by Pitino and St. John’s was enough for the highly-coveted transfer to commit to the Johnnies.
Freeman is a former top-15 recruit and was also named to the McDonald’s All-American team in 2024 during his senior season at IMG Academy.
Freeman initially chose Syracuse in 2023 over Alabama, Iowa, Georgia Tech and Texas.
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