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daily debate Should Malik Newman have committed to KU straight out of high school?
G. J. MELIA @gjmelia
YES
It's obvious Kansas would have been better if Mississippi State transfer Malik Newman had been a Jayhawk last year.
Of course, it's impossible to tell all we can do is play what if. But more talent equals more competition in practice, and more competition equals better and more prepared team.
Newman will benefit greatly from having one year to practice with the team and get in touch with head coach Bill Self's style of play. But still, Newman would have made a larger impact than the stat sheet would ever show.
Newman was the #1 shooting guard in the 2015 class, according to both Rivals and ESPN, and considered Kansas in his final list when he was initially being recruited out of high school. That kind of talent is no joke, and while Newman
would not have been a shoe-in starter, he would have forced now-junior and senior guards Devonte' Graham and Frank Mason's play to be higher, while challenging for minutes.
Newman averaged 27.7 minutes a game and started for the Bulldogs, along with scoring 11.3 points a game. Had he played in Lawrence last year, he would have had a great impact regardless of how much playing time he earned.
DUNCAN MARSHALL
@_dmarsh
NO
Malik Newman is officially a Jayhawk, just one year later than expected.
While many questions surround Newman's decision to transfer, one question on many Jayhawk fans' minds is: "Would the men's basketball team have been better off with him coming to Lawrence straight out of high school, instead of transferring a year later?" My answer is no.
Newman was highly speculated to be a one-and-done out of high school, just going to school to fulfill the NBA-required one year between high school and
the pros. Newman actually declared for the draft before reconsidering and deciding to transfer schools. Seeing how the NBA draft went this year, that was a good decision.
Last season, Newman's draft stock plummeted. He needs to work on his allaround game if he wants to play in the NBA, and playing at least a couple seasons for one of the nation's top programs will help.
Watching and learning from guard duo Frank Mason and Devonte' Graham will help Newman regain some of the confidence he said he lost during his one year at MSU.
By the time the 2017-18 season arrives, Mason will no longer be with the program. The door will be wide open for
a break-out junior year from Newman, an opportunity that wouldn't have presented itself had he come to KU straight out of high school.
Newman's choice to transfer to KU has solidified his place in Lawrence for at least two years, one redshirt year and one playing year. I fully expect him to stay even longer than that. If he had come straight out of high school, the prophecy of him being a one-and-done would have most likely come true and Kansas would have been on the recruiting block once again. But with Newman transferring, Kansas can expect him to be wearing crimson and blue for quite some time.
Contributed/Kansas Athletics Sophomore transfer Malik Newman. Newman announced his transfer to Kansas on July 1.
Contributed/Kansas Athletics
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