Donnie Freeman possesses the most upside for Syracuse

As we countdown to tipoff for the Syracuse basketball season beginning on Nov. 3, The Juice Online will be doing a player-by-player preview. Today, we look at Syracuse sophomore forward Donnie Freeman.

A 6’9” sophomore forward, Donnie Freeman’s first season was short-circuited by a foot injury that knocked him out for the season after 14 games. That injury doused considerable excitement for Freeman, who came to Syracuse with a lot of excitement, as he was a top-15 recruit in the nation.

An excellent athlete who came to the Orange as a better offensive player than defensive, Freeman showed growth in that limited time in uniform. While Freeman cracked double figures in scoring in nine contests before his injury, seven of them came in his last nine games.

His shooting was growing into an asset early in his freshman campaign

Most notable in that offensive surge was Freeman gaining comfort in perimeter shooting. In the first eight games of his season, Freeman struggled from long-range, connecting on just 3-of-17 3-point shots. The last half dozen games were a different story, as he drilled 9-of-17, including a perfect 4-of-4 against Albany.

That comfort bled over into his overall shooting, as Freeman boosted his 55.9 percent shooting mark on 2-point shots in the first eight games to 57.5 percent in his final six. In all, that touch showed a young player developing and gaining comfort through even modest experience at the college level.

Freeman also showed to be an excellent defensive rebounder in his limited time, grabbing just under eight rebounds a game while posting an elite 31.2 defensive rebounding rate that would have placed him third in the nation and best among power conference schools had he played enough to qualify. Freeman had six double-doubles on the season, including three of only defensive rebounds.

While an excellent athlete, that trait only suggests Freeman can do even more on the floor

Freeman’s first campaign was not all roses prior to his injury. As most young players do, Freeman had his struggles on defense, but seemed to get more comfortable as the season progressed.

The greatest deficiency on that side of the court was Freeman’s lack of shotblocking, given his size and athleticism. His 1.5 block rate placed him last on the roster among players listed at taller than 6’5”. Freeman’s athletic ability needs to be converted into better results in defending the rim while still maintaining high-end work on the defensive boards.

Moving forward, Freeman will also need to improve his ballhandling. As his touches are expected to increase, he will need to reduce his turnovers, as his 4.1 turnover rate was the second-highest on the team. An improvement in assists would be a bonus, as well, although his 11.2 assist rate last year is more than fine as a developing player.

Freeman must also be turned into a more effective offensive rebounder. The combination of his height and athleticism demands it, whether by adjusting his offensive role to be more inside the arc on a regular basis or requiring him to crash the glass more. His 4.9 offensive rebounding rate last season was the lowest of all players who spent the majority of their time playing power forward or center for SU.

How high can Freeman go and take the team with him?

Freeman is the player with the most upside on the roster and drives the most excitement coming into the season. How much can he improve on his averages of 13.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game? Is 17 points and ten rebounds per game too much to ask for? Can he be a 38 percent shooter from deep over the full season?

Freeman will likely be the player whose development and success will create success for Syracuse. His raw tools combined with his offensive skills give him almost unlimited potential, including all-conference honors and beyond this season. The Orange hope that is able to translate into wins, as well.

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