Jakai Newton could be one of IU's future leaders waiting in the wings
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – It’s senior day in Bloomington, but pregame offers a different visual for the first time all season.
Today is a day about four seniors – Anthony Walker and Xavier Johnson, who will play their final games on Branch McCracken Court as Hoosiers; and Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal, who will later announce this isn’t quite their last hurrah inside the hallowed walls of Assembly Hall.
But this is also a significant day for Jakai Newton, the freshman four-star combo guard who spent this season waiting in the wings. Rehabbing multiple knee injuries that have caused him to miss the entire season up to this point, Newton’s appearances this season have come with an asterisk.
He observed the first few games of the year in team-issued sweatsuits. Indiana’s late-November trip to Madison Square Garden gave the first glimpse of him in a uniform, but only the top half – later becoming the norm.
Yet here he was on a Sunday in March, sitting courtside and lacing up his sneakers. Indiana wasn’t going to burn a year of his eligibility now, but that wasn’t going to stop the Covington, Ga., native from fully suiting up.
Newton would carry on through the initial part of warmups, but didn’t go through the guard’s shooting circuit that features a heavy load of mid-range, off-dribble pull ups and spot-up shots from distance. He was left to just observe at the half court line, where his face would be painted with a desire to participate more than just the monotonous dribbling he was reserved to.
What he did show was the public’s first sights of what could, if rehabilitation goes correctly, be one of IU’s most explosive guards next season.
“I think he can bring just a toughness,” fellow freshman guard Gabe Cupps said following the season’s finale loss to Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis. “He’s very hungry to play, you know, having not played for a while. He’s super skilled, very athletic.
“I think he can be one of the best defenders in the country. And then just that toughness is the biggest thing.”
Together, the pair of Cupps and Newton comprised the guard duo that entered IU’s fold in the 2023 recruiting class. Mixing the Hoosiers’ injury issues with Xavier Johnson and Newton’s season-long battle with rehab, Cupps was forced to handle more of the lead ball-handling role than IU’s staff would’ve preferred. In response to what head coach Mike Woodson liked about the development of Cupps, the third-year man at the helm of his alma mater made mention that Cupps was “thrown to the wolves” in 2023-24.
While his efforts in doing so were commendable, he likely could’ve used an extra set of hands in doing so. A 6-foot-3, 203-pound bottle of lightning alongside him in the backcourt would fit that mold.
Instead of having the opportunity to help contribute right away, Newton has instead been forced to work in private for a return in 2024-25. Every now and again, however, one of IU’s guards of the future would post updates to Instagram of his progress.
It all indicates that, barring another setback, he’ll finally get that chance when the ball is tipped next October and November.
“Jakai, him not being able to participate this year, would take a lot of people down,” fifth-year senior Anthony Walker said following the Hoosiers’ loss to Nebraska, speaking on the impact of the freshman that kept him young in his final year of college basketball. “Jakai, of course, (had) a positive attitude always. I think they’re really good leaders, especially them being so young. Just them being themselves was very surprising to me and was very refreshing for not just me, but the whole team.”
Indiana’s obvious focus right now is trained toward addition through the transfer portal, and guard is certain to be a position of focus.
But when considering what the next iteration of Indiana basketball looks like, don’t count out the redshirt freshman guard so easily. Because he could’ve been counted out on multiple occasions before, but he’s stayed the course.
One of IU’s next leaders could’ve been waiting in the wings the whole time. Next season, we’ll see if it comes to fruition.
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