The portal continues spinning, and Kentucky has swung and missed on another prospect, as Donnie Freeman has committed to Rick Pitino and the St. John’s Red Storm. 247 Sports’ Sydney Cuillier broke the news first.
Kentucky recently hosted Freeman for a visit and was thought to be close to securing his commitment, but a late push from Pitino and the Johnnies leaves Mark Pope and Co. once again trying to rebound from a tough recruiting miss.
According to 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein,
Freeman is one of the most naturally talented forwards of his generation. He is a “bouncy finisher” at the rim who can rise over defenders from the mid-post or step out to the three-point line. While he was once considered “undeveloped physically,” his sophomore season at Syracuse showed he is beginning to turn that elite physical upside into consistent production.
However, Freeman is one of the most high-risk, high-reward targets on the market. The talent is there, but the injury risk is real. Freeman had to have a toe surgically repaired because it kept creeping back up. And perhaps Pope didn’t really miss out if Freeman continues to struggle to remain healthy.
Freeman averaged 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds last season, but he appeared in only 23 games. A recurring toe issue has limited him to just 37 total appearances over two college seasons. That is a huge red flag, but it was one Kentucky was clearly willing to take a risk with, as they reportedly offered him in the neighborhood of $3 million.
In the end, the competition proved too fierce. Kentucky was able to outlast interest from UConn, Florida, and Tennessee, but they couldn’t overcome Pitino. While losing a talent of this caliber stings, especially after a high-profile visit, the medical red flag does potentially set the stage for Kentucky being better off, especially with the rotten injury luck they’ve already had.
Pope will now have to pivot quickly to other frontcourt targets as the portal clock continues to tick toward the April 21 midnight deadline for everyone to be in the portal.
Remember, players can commit well after that point, but they just have to be in the portal. Who do you think Pope should move to now?
