St. John's Babacar Sane, playing for Senegal in the FIBA World Cup this past March, could see a greater role for the Red Storm now that Donnie Freeman is out for the season with an Achilles injury. Getty Images

Adversity has come very early for St. John’s — several months before the Johnnies’ first game of the 2026-27 season.

Donnie Freeman, the Red Storm’s projected starting power forward, will miss all of next year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon injury during a workout, coach Rick Pitino announced on X on Wednesday afternoon.

It was a noncontact injury for the highly regarded, 6-foot-9 Syracuse transfer.

He has already undergone surgery.