Donnie Freeman is expected to miss the 2026-27 season after suffering an Achilles injury during summer workouts. St. John's Red Storm loses a newcomer who was expected to have a major role next season, a setback that changes the rotation before it even took shape.
Rick Pitino's gamble
Freeman signed with the Red Storm after being a Kentucky Basketball target, and Rick Pitino made the late push that brought him in. That move had set up a major addition for St. John's, especially after Freeman had averaged 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds last season.
The injury strips away that upside before the season arrives. Freeman had been expected to grow into a central piece, and the loss lands on a roster that was counting on his scoring and rebounding to carry into the next year.
Syracuse transfer impact
Freeman arrives in this story as a Syracuse transfer with injuries already part of his college career so far. The Achilles setback is a harsher step than a short-term absence because it takes the entire 2026-27 season off the board and pushes any return discussion toward the 2027-28 season.
For St. John's, the practical issue is simple: a newcomer expected to play a major role is now unavailable for the year. That leaves the Red Storm without the production that had made Freeman one of the more important names in the offseason plan.
The unanswered piece is the exact medical diagnosis and recovery timetable for Freeman's Achilles injury. What is clear already is that St. John's lost a player it had brought in for immediate help, and the season now opens without the points and rebounds he had supplied last season.
