2 hints point to 1 obvious Donnie Freeman conclusion for Kentucky

Mark Pope has taken a tactical approach to the Transfer Portal this offseason. So far, it has netted Kentucky Washington point guard Zoom Diallo, presumably for a lower price than it would have taken to pry Robert Wright III from BYU. Now, it’s time to spend those savings, and Pope seemingly has a few ideas for how to do it. 

Kentucky is well-positioned to land a backcourt mate for Diallo in Furman transfer Alex Wilkins, and in the frontcourt, the clear target is Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman. There hasn’t been an obvious front-runner in Freeman’s recruitment, but suddenly, all the signs are pointing to Lexington. 

Donnie Freeman canceled his UConn visit

After making a trip to Lexington this week, Freeman was slated to go back north to Storrs, Connecticut. Obviously, two-time national champion Dan Hurley is a major threat, but evidently, either his pitch or his offer wasn’t strong enough to keep the Huskies in the running. 

UConn wasn’t the only team in the mix, however. Generally, it has been seen as a three-team race for Freeman between Kentucky, UConn, and Alabama. So, even with Hurley falling out of the mix, Pope still has to contend with Nate Oats. Oats, though, may also be conceding to Pope. 

Alabama set to host Boise State big Drew Fielder for a visit

At 6-foot-9, Freeman is a lengthy, disruptive defender capable of creating his own shot off the bounce. Athletic enough to play on the wing and big enough to stick at the four, Freeman has shown the ability to be at least a passable three-point shooter, which is crucial for both Oats and Pope. Oats, though, may value the skill even more, and the latest player he’s scheduled for a trip to Tuscaloosa can do it even better. 

On Friday afternoon, Jon Rothstein reported that Alabama is set to host Boise State center Drew Fielder for a visit this weekend. At 6-foot-11, Fielder was a 40 percent three-point shooter for the Broncos last season. That ability to space the floor would allow him to slot in seamlessly with incoming transfers Brandon Garrison from Kentucky and Jamarion Davis-Fleming from Mississippi State. 

Kentucky is taking a big swing with Freeman, and Pope needs to connect. While it’s not a guarantee that one canceled visit at UConn and another scheduled at Alabama means he’s coming to Kentucky, it certainly looks that way heading into the weekend.

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