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Pitino: Donnie Freeman Out All Season with Achilles Injury

7/2/2026

28 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Rick Pitino announced on July 1, 2026 that forward Donnie Freeman will miss the 2026-27 season after an Achilles injury repaired by Dr. Martin O’Malley.
He transferred from Syracuse, where he averaged 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds and ranked 19th by Rivals in the 2026 portal.
Freeman was slated as a power forward for a St. John’s team projected eighth in ESPN’s 2026-27 rankings, and the school will replace him for 2027-28.

History

Historical Context

In 2015 the Kentucky Wildcats, coached by John Calipari, entered the NCAA tournament with a 38-1 record—the best winning percentage for a non-undefeated team—but lost to Wisconsin in the Final Four despite freshman star Karl-Anthony Towns. The deep run echoed Calipari’s 2012 championship and reinforced Kentucky’s long tradition of tournament success.

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Story summary

Rick Pitino announced on July 1, 2026 that forward Donnie Freeman will miss the 2026-27 season after an Achilles injury repaired by Dr. Martin O’Malley.
He transferred from Syracuse, where he averaged 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds and ranked 19th by Rivals in the 2026 portal.
Freeman was slated as a power forward for a St. John’s team projected eighth in ESPN’s 2026-27 rankings, and the school will replace him for 2027-28.

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