The next biggest thing in Florida high school basketball is a point guard at Downey Christian School in Orlando. And that next big thing stands only 4-foot-5.
11-year-old Julian Newman is so good at basketball that he is the starting point guard on Downey Christian’s varsity basketball team despite being just a fifth-grader. His father, Jamie, who also happens to be the team’s coach, decided to move his son up to that level after Julian scored 91 points in three quarters against middle school competition.
“I was a little concerned that the physical aspect would be a factor, but the thing is, people can’t stay in front of him,” Jamie Newman said of his son, via Max Preps.
“He has a tremendous skill level,” Jamie said. “He has moves that even NBA players don’t have. He does stuff that hasn’t been done before with the ball.”
Is there nepotism involved in Julian playing with high school kids because of his dad? Possibly, but an opposing coach says the youngster belongs on that level.
“[Julian] is one of their better players,” Crooms Academy coach Don Smith told Max Preps. “He’s not playing just because he is Jamie’s son.”
According to a video on YouTube, Newman is average 12.4 points, 11 assists, and 4.3 steals in his three starts this year.
Someone alert John Calipari, because Jamie says his son wants to play for Kentucky in college.
Below is another video of Julian Newman that shows off his incredible dribbling skills:
