Dillon Mitchell’s 111‑Assist Season Helps St. John’s Land Syracuse Transfer Donnie Freeman

TL;DR: Dillon Mitchell logged 111 assists in his only season with St. John’s, setting a program‑record for a single year. His text message to Syracuse forward Donnie Freeman helped secure the transfer, adding a player who averaged 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds last year.

Mitchell played one year for St. John’s after arriving via the transfer portal. He finished the season with 111 assists, the highest total recorded by a Red Storm guard in a single campaign.

During that season he also assisted the coaching staff in recruiting, using his relationship with Freeman to encourage a commitment. Freeman had two productive seasons at Syracuse despite battling injuries, posting 16.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game on 47.4‑percent shooting. Initially, Freeman’s recruitment appeared to lean toward Kentucky, but Mitchell’s outreach shifted the balance.

Mitchell’s 111 assists set a new St. John’s single‑season benchmark for assists. Freeman committed to St. John’s after receiving a supportive text from Mitchell during his recruitment.

Mitchell told reporters that he believes Freeman’s addition will be great for him. He also described Freeman as versatile, lengthy, athletic and capable of shooting. After Freeman’s decision went public, Mitchell sent a message to Coach Rick Pitino expressing his excitement about the addition.

Freeman’s 6‑foot‑9 frame allows St. John’s to play him at both small forward and power forward, giving the team a frontcourt that can rival the size of recent national champions. His shooting percentage and ability to space the floor complement Pitino’s pace‑and‑space system. His three‑point shooting rate, while not highlighted in the Syracuse stats, is noted by Mitchell as a tool that fits the Red Storm’s offensive scheme.

The Red Storm still seek an impact center to join Freeman, international guard Quinn Ellis and wings Babacar Sane and Djordije Jovanovic. Adding a true interior presence would complete the frontcourt construction aimed at competing for conference titles.

Watch whether St. John’s lands a true center in the portal and how Freeman adapts to Rick Pitino’s system in the upcoming season.