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CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 10: Syracuse Orange forward Donnie Freeman (1) during the ACC Men's basketball tournament between the Syracuse Orange and the SMU Mustangs on March 10, 2026 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This week, news came out that St. John’s incoming transfer Donnie Freeman will miss the entire 2026-27 season with an Achilles tear.
It is absolutely gut-wrenching for a young man who has already spent so much time on the trainer’s table. Seeing a player’s season end in July just sucks, man.
Freeman played in just 37 games over two seasons at Syracuse, battling foot/toe issues, before becoming one of the most prized recruits in the portal this spring. Heading down the stretch of his recruitment in April, the recruiting battle came down to Kentucky and St. John’s, and a rising price. Mark Pope, fresh off dealing with an oft-injured, big-time transfer of his own, decided to bow out.
It was a risk for Pope at the time. There were fewer frontcourt options available in the portal, and Freeman clearly fit a need for the Wildcats. But the price tag kept going up, the durability concerns lingered, and Rick Pitino ultimately won out.
Since the injury news broke, I’ve seen the argument floating around that Freeman’s Achilles tear justifies Pope’s decision to pass on him. Folks are treating it like Kentucky dodged a bullet.
We shouldn’t be looking at this like it’s “good news” that Pope passed. Seeing someone get hurt is terrible, not a recruiting victory.
The Pitino factor and portal realities
I hate it for the kid. But honestly, someone needs to talk to these agents at some point.
Pitino’s style is legendary, but it is also going to wear players down. Sending a guy with known foot issues and a history of durability concerns to a coach who famously demands the absolute best, most grueling conditioning in college basketball felt like a gamble from day one. You can’t just look at the NIL money or the bright lights of MSG; you have to look at the physical fit. Putting a big man with a foot that has needed 2 surgeries into a system that requires constant, high-intensity running is a massive risk, and unfortunately, it’s one that didn’t pay off for Freeman.
These agents see dollar signs, though, and the few good ones that are out there are overshadowed by ones seeking to just cash in.
Empathy over “I told you so”
It is entirely fair to acknowledge that Mark Pope made a sound, objective basketball decision by walking away from a bidding war for a player with a medical history. Common sense says he did the right thing here. Pope has to build a roster that is durable, and relying on a guy who hasn’t been able to stay on the floor is a tough sell after seeing JQ hobbled all of last year.
But acknowledging Pope’s foresight shouldn’t cross the line into celebrating the outcome. Kentucky missing out on Freeman wasn’t a “win” because of this injury; it was just a tough business decision that looks different in hindsight.
For now, basketball takes a back seat.
Freeman is a young player who just lost a crucial year of his career and now faces a brutal, exhausting rehab process once again. The only reaction should be empathy. We should all be wishing Donnie a full and speedy recovery and hope to see him back on the court for the 2027-28 campaign.
Because at the end of the day, seeing someone get hurt just sucks.
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