Five-star Recruit Malik Newman Has Options Ahead of Decision

Being recruited to play basketball at a Division I school is an exciting and scary time in a young man’s life. There is so much to consider and reconsider about whether you are making the right choice on where you will be spending the next years of your life. For some, they wait for offers from the schools of their choice. For others like Malik Newman, schools wait for you to accept their offers.

Fortunately for those schools, they do not have to wait much longer. After months of consideration, Newman has made a decision on where he will be going next year, and is slated to announce his choice on Friday, April 22, 2015.

The 6’3 combo guard from Jackson, Mississippi has absolutely lit up the Mississippi High School Athletic Association’s Class 5A Division, winning four straight state titles for Callaway High School. He can get to the rim with multiple dribble moves, is a powerful finisher at the rim when he gets there, and can hit the three-pointer with relative ease. Though his game speaks volumes, Newman loves to supplement that with his own voice, enjoying the psychological aspect of talking trash while he rips you apart on both ends of the court.

That kind of competitiveness and skill will garner a lot of attention from all the top programs across the country. Newman has the luxury of having schools beg for his services and therefore has the freedom to make his own decision on where to go. While he does have offers from 13 schools, here are the schools he will most likely be choosing from on Friday.

Feb 14, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; LSU Tigers head coach

Johnny Jones

during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Louisiana State University

Kansas

No matter what kind of year the Kansas Jayhawks are coming off of, they always seem to find themselves as finalists for some of the best talent that high school basketball has to offer. With Frank Mason, Perry Ellis, and Wayne Selden, Jr. all returning to try and help Kansas recover from a season where they lost in the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament, head coach Bill Self would sure love to have a tough competitor at the shooting guard position.

Kansas already secured the Letter of Intent to attend from five-star power forward Carlton Bragg to offset the loss of Cliff Alexander and his eligibility issues. Bringing Newman on board will help with the loss of Kelly Oubre, Jr., whose impact on the Jayhawks was inconsistent.

The Jayhawks can certainly make things work without Newman in the lineup, but having him would fill in a key position for Bill Self on the perimeter and provide a very valuable offensive weapon in a tough Big 12 Conference.

Feb 7, 2015; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs team members gather before a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas defeated Mississippi State 61-41. Mandatory Credit: Beth Hall-USA TODAY Sports

Mississippi State

No matter what other schools Newman may have talked to during his recruitment, no school could sell the prospect of staying close to home and being a hero for the entire state of Mississippi. The only difference between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the rest of the schools in Mississippi is that they have the now have the coach that can legitimately get him there.

The newly hired Ben Howland turned around the Pittsburgh Panthers and UCLA Bruins before he left each respective program better than where they were before him. His time at UCLA proved especially fruitful for his future job prospects after recruiting NBA players like Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Darren Collison, and Arron Afflalo. It is these connections that have peaked the interest of Newman, who will likely be a one-and-done candidate.

It cannot be overstated how important it is for some players to stay close to home and be comfortable in their surroundings. Starkville, Mississippi is only a 2-hour drive up Highway 25 from Jackson, Mississippi. That kind of close proximity and the opportunity to be “The Man” at Mississippi State may be too much to pass up for Newman.

Apr 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts during the second half of the 2015 NCAA Men

Kentucky

You cannot talk about a recruiting piece about a top prospect and not mention the Kentucky Wildcats. Any kid with a five-star rating attached to his name will be getting a letter and a call from Kentucky and head coach John Calipari, who has separated himself as the best recruiter in the nation.

With Calipari’s history of turning out star NBA guards like Derrick Rose, Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe, and John Wall, there is no shortage of interest from high school guards with NBA aspirations. If there has been any school in the last five years that has become a proverbial NBA player factory, it would be Kentucky, and Calipari is the man behind it.

Kentucky may not have the talent that it did this past year that allowed them to play a ten-man, platoon style rotation for a majority of the year, but they still have enough talent to be one of the best teams in the nation. Point guard Tyler Ulis is projected to be a full-time starter, and at times was the best point guard for the Wildcats this past season. Joining him will be Alex Poythress, who is coming back after tearing his ACL.

Supplementing that talent is the signature John Calipari recruiting class that seemingly always has two or more five-star recruits. Five-star prospects Skal Labissiere and Isaiah Briscoe are officially on board, and four-star shooting guard Charles Matthews is joining them.

A potentially crowded backcourt may deter Newman from committing to Kentucky, but the lure of being taught by the man who churned out so many successful NBA guards is still a tempting proposition.

Next: Duke: Derryck Thornton Reclassifies and Commits

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