2023 4-Star Guard Jakai Newton Commits to Indiana

Indiana picked up their first commit for 2023 today with the news that 4-star shooting guard Jakai Newton has verbally committed to the school.

Newton is a 6’4” shooting guard from Georgia that is ranked by 247Sports as the 43rd best prospect for 2023. He made the announcement earlier today after cutting down his potential suitors to Georgia, Indiana and Vanderbilt. It looks like Newton’s relationship with Mike Woodson played a big impact on his decision to come to Bloomington.

“ Coach Woody is a very humble and down to earth person. It was great talking to him and we didn’t just talk about basketball,” Newton said. “He talked to me about life, managing money, real estate, stocks...”

The shooting guard can play both on and off the ball and has been described as having solid athleticism and capable of attacking the basket. He does need to work a bit on his shot before he gets to Bloomington, but he has acknowledged that and has been working on it.

“I’ve become a better shooter especially from three. My vision has improved also. I’ve also gotten a lot stronger so I’m able to be more physical on the glass and when I’m driving,” Newton said about his offensive skillset.

Newton could be a good sign for Indiana as the Hoosiers are hoping Mike Woodson, who is a former NBA player and head coach, will be able to help improve the schools recruiting efforts. So far it looks like it’s working.