Jack Donohue spoke to Albany-area TV about his decision to play for Gerry McNamara.
Earlier this week, Class of 2027 forward Jack Donohue committed to play for the Syracuse men's basketball program. A 6-foot-8 shooter from Albany, Dononue plays his high school basketball at a prep school in Massachusetts.
He is a three-star recruit who was ranked as the No. 4 prospect in Massachusetts for his class.
NewsChannel 13 in Albany reports that Donohue had 14 Division I offers before landing with the Orange.
Donohue spoke with the outlet about his decision, saying he trusts McNamara and his staff to make him the best player possible, and he says "knowing that Syracuse is home is a great feeling."
He also spoke about a health scare he had a little more than a year ago: Donohue needed open heart surgery and he wasn't sure he'd ever play again.
But he's back and ready to contribute to the Orange in 2027-28. How he contributes remains to be seen, as in the era of the transfer portal, you never have any idea how a roster is going to project out in the future.
And things are made more complicated because of the NCAA's new "5-in-5 rule" that allows players a fifth year of eligibility. Donohue will have five years to play with the Orange if he wants to.
Siena Saints head coach Gerry McNamara answers questions during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Jim Dedmon-Imagn ImagesElsewhere in Syracuse basketball news
The Orange landed former Quinnipiac basketball standout Amarri Monroe on Tuesday night via the new "5-in-5" rule. Monroe played against McNamara's former Siena team while a member of the Bobcats and was named the MAAC Player of the Year in 2024-25. He was a first-team All-MAAC selection again in 2025-26.
Listed at 6-foot-7, he will clearly impact the playing time for other players at his same forward position, but how it impacts the likes of Kiyan Anthony, Gavin Doty and Aiden Tobiason specifically remains to be seen.
Of course, there's always a chance that the NCAA wins its appeal against this preliminary injunction, which means that maybe Monroe will never be eligible at all.
Elsewhere for Syracuse Athletics
Wednesday marks the start of Syracuse football training camp in advance of the program's season opener on Sept. 5 against New Hampshire.
The Orange are coming off a 3-9 season and were picked to finish 14th in the 17-team league, something that head coach Fran Brown doesn't seem too bothered by.
Quarterback Steve Angeli, coming off a torn Achilles last season, is fully healthy heading into camp.
