St. John's has lost a key player for the upcoming season with a season-ending injury to Donnie Freeman, a highly regarded transfer from Syracuse. The 6-foot-9 rising junior was expected to be the team's starting power forward. His absence is expected to lead to a more significant role for high-flying Senegalese forward Babacar Sane.
"He was going to have a big role whether Donnie was healthy or not," head coach Rick Pitino told The Post in a phone interview. "He is the best athlete on the team by far. He was going to have a big role anyway."
Sane, who stands at 6-foot-8, previously played in Germany's top professional league, averaging 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game for Riesen Ludwigsburg last season. Prior to his time in Germany, Sane spent two years with G-League Ignite, a developmental team for top prospects. His athleticism and previous professional experience are now expected to be crucial for St. John's as they adjust to Freeman's injury.