Since landing two priority commitments - in Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins - Kentucky and Mark Pope's eyes have publicly shifted to star forward and Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman. Boasting obvious NBA upside and, scoring 16.5 points per game, boasting exactly the sort of stretch big skillset that Pope so often utilizes, it's no surprise that Kentucky is heavily in the mix.
And, for a short time this past weekend, it seemed as if the Wildcats were in prime position to land Freeman. Yet as Saturday and Sunday both passed without a commitment, the ever-dreaded Pete Nakos update came in the form of an especially worrying post on X.
"Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman is expected to land a deal north of $3 million," Nakos noted, in what the On3 insider describes as a battle between Kentucky and St. John's. It's Mark Pope vs. Rick Pitino for one of the nation's biggest transfer names. What a world.
A Battle in Camelot For Donnie Freeman
Coach Pope and Pitino's public relationship is more than positive, with Pitino coming to the infamous Big Blue Madness in 2024 as a way to usher the then-new head coach into his widely lauded role in Lexington. Now, though, they're butting heads on the recruiting trail, and Pope can hardly afford to lose to his former mentor.
After allowing Sebsatian Rancik to walk in favor of a hopeful Freeman commitment, the Wildcats have little to no answer remaining at the power forward spot if he, too, walks. A dual-pickup at the position is an option, with solid, even if not explosive, talent remaining therein.
But Freeman stands alone as an all but guaranteed plug-and-win transfer in the frontcourt, and both of these legendary Kentucky names know it.
As his recruitment winds down in the coming days (or hours), it will undoubtedly be the top story for Cats fans to follow until something breaks. In the end, Freeman will commit to either the Kentucky brand as it currently stands, or one of its now long-gone pioneers.
Decisions, decisions...
Add us as a preferred source on Google