St. John’s scores big transfer portal win with 16.5 PPG star

St. John’s basketball delivered an aggressive Monday in the College Basketball Transfer Portal. Not just limited to re-adding Ruben Prey either. The Red Storm now lured in a talent representing a past Big East rival: Donnie Freeman of Syracuse.

Rick Pitino and his staff win him over by beating Kentucky, with Pete Nakos of On3/Rivals confirming the evening move. Nakos adds Freeman to St. John’s picked up steam in recent days.

“St. John’s has entered the mix and now has the momentum in the recruitment, sources tell On3. Rick Pitino and the Johnnies hold the edge at this point,” Nakos wrote Monday, while adding St. John’s extended the highest NIL offer on the table.

College basketball insider Jeff Goodman of Field of 68 added Freeman fell in love with Pitino.

“He wanted a guy who would coach him hard, and wanted someone who had coached pros,” Goodman posted on the social media website X, formerly Twitter.

Freeman officially leaves Central New York after two seasons with the Orange. He chose not to take part in incoming head coach Gerry McNamara’s new regime. The 6-foot-9 Freeman dropped 16.5 points per game on opponents this past season and surpassed the 20-point mark eight times.

Pitino reels in a potential new leading scorer for the Johnnies. St. John’s loses Zuby Ejiofor to the NBA Draft this summer. Freeman is similar in frame to Ejiofor and presents a versatile scoring option for the reigning Big East champs.

Donnie can do it all

Donnie Freeman had his third consecutive 20-PT performance as he led Syracuse with 25 PT on 9-12 shooting, while adding 7 REB, 3 STL, 2 AST & 1 BLK@Cuse_MBB | @Cuse | #Cuse pic.twitter.com/a8cH9E2x5X

— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) January 14, 2026

Freeman’s arrival rises as one of three major moves from the Red Storm. The reigning Big East champs re-added Lefteris Liotopoulos too after he briefly entered the portal. Prey’s decision came first with St. John’s bringing back a critical part of its Sweet 16 run.

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