The new reality
Newman leaves Valparaiso, looking to upgrade game at Montverde Academy
How do you handle the awkward situation of watching perhaps the best basketball player you’ll ever coach leave prematurely for prep school?
Valparaiso’s Barak Coolman schooled us on how it’s done.
Brandon Newman, a 6-foot-4 senior guard, won’t play for the Vikings next season. According to Coolman, Newman told his teammates on July 1 he was going to Montverde Academy in Florida.
For nearly two months, Coolman was caught in the middle while Newman made up his mind.
It was a difficult position for a coach to be in, but Coolman couldn’t do anything about it.
He had to recruit his own player. He had little leverage except to sell the Indiana high school basketball experience. Coolman was consistent. He loved and supported Newman to the end, helping him sort through his options.
He wanted what was best for Newman — and for Newman to ultimately make his own choice.
That’s what happened, even if that choice hurts.
Newman averaged 24.9 points and 9 rebounds last season. He was an Indiana Junior All-Star and a Mr. Basketball candidate. He has offers from Ohio State, Indiana, Purdue, Florida State and many other schools. Two years ago, no one knew who Newman was.
Coolman set up the schedule to showcase Newman across Indiana. The Vikings are going to play Warren Central, the defending Class 4A state champion, Dec. 29 at New Castle.
That still will happen.
“It stings a little,” Coolman said. “It causes you to question what you are doing when someone you are close to moves on. Ultimately, Brandon had to do what was best for him.”
What’s best for Newman is debatable.
He’s ranked as 80th best player in the country by Rivals.com and 110th by 247sports.com
Charmagne Newman, Brandon’s mother, said the move was not about improving his academic standing. It’s simply about getting better.
She also said Brandon didn’t make the call alone.
“He and I and his dad helped make the decision,” she said. “It was a family discussion.”
The argument for leaving is Newman will compete against some of the best players in the country on a daily basis. He’ll have more time to work on his game and get stronger. He’ll be more ready for college.
The argument for staying is he could chase a state title and play on the Indiana All-Star Team.
Also, game competition would be better. Montverde’s featured team was 35-0 last season and won by an average of 31.6 points. Montverde, which is for seventh through 12th grade, lists six basketball teams on its website.
The Eagles had 18 players listed on their marquee team last year. One of them was R.J. Barrett, a 6-7 forward from Canada ranked the No. 1 recruit in the country by Rivals.com, ESPN and 247sports.com. He’s going to Duke.
Where does Newman fit in among 18 of the best players in the country? He’s going to find out.
Coolman’s concern was Newman might not be a priority. There’s only one basketball. He’s essentially playing on a team with two rosters.
“He was promised a major role,” Coolman said of Newman. “If he goes there and he’s the fourth or fifth option, then there are a lot of unknowns.”
In many situations, as when East Chicago Central’s Jermaine Couisnard left for Montverde after his senior year, it’s a good move. Couisnard needed a year to work on his academics and improve his conditioning. He also was finished with high school.
Couisnard played on Montverde’s postgraduate team, which isn’t listed on its website. He committed to South Carolina in January and enrolled last month.
For Newman, this seems a lateral move — at best.
We know this much.
The Indiana high school basketball experience isn’t sacred anymore.
Newman isn’t the first player to give up on chasing Mr. Basketball and a state title, and he won’t be the last.
Last season, Newman had to deal with double-teams, tripleteams and junk defenses. It would have been more intense this season.
For the best players, it’s about personal branding and trying to take care of your own interests.
That’s the new, unfortunate reality.