A new Syracuse Orange men’s basketball season begins this weekend and many fans will certainly be excited to see the team’s new freshman trio make their debut. Together they could fulfill a central role throughout the year.

Consensus five-star recruit Donnie Freeman highlights what is a promising influx of upside, also joined by four-star guard Elijah Moore and late signing Petar Majstorovic. While all of their final results are of course unknown, each of their floors gives the three newcomers the opportunity to strengthen some of the weaknesses of last season’s program while tapping into their potential and ultimately raising the Oranje’s 2024/25 ceiling .

Freeman brings a lot to the table on his own. Whatever he ends up being, it would certainly be a lot different than what Syracuse had in power at the end of last season.

Freeman’s outside shot and overall potential as a three-level scorer will easily be his calling card on day one. He has a legitimate chance to fill the offensive role that coach Adrian Autry is putting him in: floor spacer, isolation scorer, mover shooting off screens, etc.

At 6-foot-4 and weighing around 200 pounds, Freeman’s role could easily be consistent and productive. In addition to being a valuable archetype as a college player and potential professional, Freeman’s archetype is truly unique compared to most players fans have seen on the team recently. He’ll be able to set a solid tone immediately without having to be a super-duper contributor out of the gate.

Syracuse’s defensive depth gives Freeman playmakers who can get him the ball, either in isolation, from a throw to the basket or in other ways. They can also all take their own shots, again taking some of the pressure off Freeman the goalscorer. We haven’t even touched on Freeman’s defensive potential, which will once again make him intriguing to watch out of the gate.

Versatility will also be Freeman’s calling card. Jon Rothstein recently noted the potential combination of a frontcourt featuring Freeman and Colorado transfer Eddie Lampkin. Even playing alongside Naheem McLeod, these big-man combinations balance the strengths and weaknesses within that partnership. In a crazy but possible world, fans could even see Freeman play center himself and unlock true five-out spacing.

One of the guards who can also play next to Freeman and give Syracuse some more offensive punch is Moore. The rookie guard is said to be one of the team’s top three three-point shooters.

Like Freeman, Moore shouldn’t have too much pressure out of the gate. Syracuse’s guard depth has plenty of ball handlers and good scorers. Moore’s value lies mainly in playing off the ball, where he acts as a floor spacer and can also create his own shot when needed in the right situations.

That versatility could allow Moore to play a small, but impactful, spark plug role. Assuming Syracuse sticks with the starters Rothstein predicts will start the year, Moore will always still have experienced players of some sort around him. That could also allow him, similar to Freeman but in a slightly different context, to let Moore get things done. It’s a quality situation to be in.

The latest incoming freshman is someone who recently joined the team, but could be the all-rounder of the four recent Syracuse fans gathering after seeing Marek Dolezaj contribute to the program.

Majstorovic will likely play in a reserve role, but he again brings a skill set that Syracuse lacked last year: a true four who can be more of a powerhouse inside, score around the rim, attack the glass for rebounds, stand defensively keep and even can show some promise as a distributor. Again, he also offers versatility by being that pure four: Majstorovic won’t be completely trusted immediately, but could easily burst onto the scene with that all-round potential. Where he fits into the final rotation is one of the most intriguing stories coming into this season.

Overall, there are three reasons to be excited about this freshman class, hence the optimism the trio brings.

First, there’s the overall potential of Freeman, Moore and Majstorovic, in addition to their similarities to the rest of that rotation. Speaking of those potential lineups, another element to consider is that there are three players with three different archetypes: a perimeter guard, an old-school forward with plenty of appeal, and a high-upside combo wing/forward with legitimate two-way potential.

Most importantly, the ecosystem itself that Autry has built probably gives fans the most hope that these first-year newcomers can make a big impact. It would be a completely different story if it had to be relied on immediately. Instead, a combination of Syracuse’s key rotation players from last year, coupled with a handful of veteran transfers, puts all three players in the right context to maximize their potential.

Normally, there would be a lot of excitement surrounding a new year of basketball in Syracuse, and the promise of this incoming trio is a big part of that.