COMING HOME: Donovan Freeman is slated to be SU’s newest star forward

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The framework for Syracuse’s marquee forward position has undergone steady reconfiguration. Some qualities are evergreen. Others are obsolete. Keep the tall stature, freakish wingspan and savvy court vision, but embrace the gradual development from basic inside presence to crafty three-level scorer.

A stroll through the program’s crowded room of frontcourt stars illustrates this well. The sharpshooting Louis Orr and Leo Rautins were soon followed by a wave of bullish yet athletic post players in Rony Seikaly, Derrick Coleman and John Wallace. Then, the arrival of versatile point-forwards — a unique archetype equipped to set up a team’s offense while being skilled enough to have one structured around them. Wesley Johnson, Jerami Grant and Oshae Brissett come to mind. Go ahead and loop Carmelo Anthony in there, too.

This latest mold encapsulates Donovan Freeman, a top-20 recruit in the 2024 class, perfectly. He enrolls at Syracuse next season as a McDonald’s All-American and Nike EYBL Peach Jam champion, becoming the Orange’s highest-ranked incoming freshman since DaJuan Coleman in 2012. The 6-foot-9, five-star forward signed with SU because of an unwavering trust in head coach Adrian Autry and his staff to sculpt him into a program great.

One of high school basketball’s quickest risers, Freeman possesses unique two-way ability. His mid-range jumper is pure but the talent to guard every position could be even more impressive. His commitment presents an opportunity for Syracuse to erase an imminent three-year absence from the NCAA Tournament.

“I can do anything on the floor,” Freeman said. “Historically, that’s what Syracuse’s forwards do. I’ll come in and find any way to become a winning player.”

Cindy Zhang | Digital Design Director

Freeman’s inconsistencies with the blueprint of a traditional, one-dimensional power forward excited Autry. Freeman’s wiry base and skinny arms seemed off-putting. So did his inconsistency in ball-handling and shooting range, but it could all be fine-tuned. Word of his potential traveled during the pandemic after he excelled playing up at open runs with Team Takeover — a regional AAU powerhouse based in his hometown of Washington, D.C.

Most sessions were private. The program allowed recordings for tape and highlight reel purposes and livestreamed its practices for college coaches. Freeman had just finished middle school and remembers being the youngest among a high-level group featuring current Minnesota Timberwolves guard Trevor Keels and former Penn State forward Myles Dread. He even matched up with Benny Williams — someone Freeman always looked up to — on occasion.

It didn’t take long for Freeman to shine despite the age gap. His father, Dedglan Freeman, recalled a poster dunk so vicious he refused to disclose the recipient’s identity. Local suitors like Georgetown displayed interest after tuning in a couple of times.

Autry’s background as a former Takeover coach granted him access to these workouts. He was assigned to monitor Williams’ improvement, a then-commit to the Orange, during his offseason before college. But after catching a glimpse of Freeman, Autry inquired. He called then-Takeover President Keith Stevens.

“Who is that kid?”

The following summer, Freeman received an invite to Syracuse’s annual Elite Camp — a one-day showcase in August for high school sophomores and juniors. It was his first time on campus. Dedglan has been a fan of the program “since the Billy Owens and Sherman Douglas days.”

Dedglan utilized the trophy cabinets, poster cut-outs and highlight reels covering each wall at the ​​Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center to teach a history lesson. He told Freeman about Dave Bing’s legacy and Hakim Warrick’s championship-salvaging block in 2003.

Surrounded by top talent, Freeman hit timely shots and threw down a handful of dunks. His performance impressed then-head coach Jim Boeheim, who ushered Freeman and Dedglan up to his office after camp. Autry joined them. The group discussed SU’s current state and what they saw in Freeman — how he could be a difference. Then came the official offer.

“It was my dream school,” Freeman said. “So you can imagine how I felt.”

It was a whirlwind after that. Power Five offers — 18 in total — piled up during Freeman’s sophomore season. Given NCAA recruiting rules, coaches waited patiently until the fall of his junior year before making private contact with him. Sept. 1, 2022, marked the special day. Once it turned midnight, Freeman’s phone began ringing.

Miami’s Jim Larrañaga was first and Texas’ Rodney Terry quickly followed. Yet, when Autry reached out, the conversation felt different than the rest. Dedglan described it as “like getting a call from an old friend.”

“Ready to come home?” Autry asked.

For the remainder of their talk, Freeman chased that feeling. He yearned for personal “man-to-man” interactions with coaches — not the ones always circling back to basketball, sugar-coated and dripping with compliments.

“Obviously every coach is going to tell you you’re the greatest in the world but (Autry) wasn’t like that,” Freeman said. “He was genuine, upfront and honest. And that’s what I look for in a coach.”

Visits to schools with top-quality facilities and upward trajectories were scheduled: an October weekend in Austin, Texas, to watch a ranked Longhorns football team. Then a photoshoot where he donned white Alabama threads prior to hearing his name echo around a rowdy Coleman Coliseum in January 2023. But the appeal of Syracuse remained firmly etched in the back of Freeman’s mind.

Connection between Freeman and SU frayed slightly across the next few months. The program was busy amid the coaching change from Boeheim to Autry, but Freeman was aware of the shift and arranged a trip for April. Dedglan said Syracuse wasn’t the most attractive on the outside. But then he remembered its history and the types of players produced.

“Syracuse has a track record of getting people who look like Donovan to the next level,” Dedglan said. “It just made all the sense in the world.”

Cindy Zhang | Digital Design Director

And that was Autry’s pitch. He didn’t promise anything but remained adamant he should be the one entrusted to develop Freeman’s skillset. Autry had done it with others by putting them through strict training regimens every day. All he needed was for Freeman to buy in and work hard.

Aside from Autry’s convincing to paint a lofty goal as achievable, the Orange play a brand of basketball akin to what Freeman wanted. He knows SU’s forwards are allowed the freedom to either step out or dribble, drive and finish around the rim. The fast pace is enticing. Defensively, Freeman’s excited about Autry’s aggressive man-to-man set.

In early May, Freeman committed to Syracuse. Wearing a nervous grin, he unveiled an orange t-shirt and slapped on a branded cap.

“Syracuse basketball is back,” Freeman said in a livestream on 247Sports.

A lot has changed since then. In his final AAU season, Freeman helped lead Team Takeover to the 2023 Nike EYBL Peach Jam title and earned First-Team All-Tournament honors after averaging 12.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. A sudden move to IMG (FL) Academy for his senior season to reach his full basketball potential followed. He put on 20 pounds of muscle, made the preseason watchlist for the Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year Award and secured a McDonald’s All-American spot.

Surprisingly, Freeman hasn’t yet shaped his game around Syracuse’s forwards despite wanting to become them. But everything’s in place. The measurables are there. He boasts an exceptionally high ceiling and is under the tutelage of a premier basketball mind. Autry even said Freeman enters as a far more polished product compared to any of his prior wing projects.

“Everything that he needs to get better at, and the things (Syracuse) had success with in the past… They just all align,” Autry said.