Julian Newman

Julian Newman (born September 6, 2001) is an American basketball player who graduated from Prodigy Prep in Orlando, Florida in 2020. He stands and plays the point guard position. Newman came to attention in 2012 for his viral highlight videos on YouTube, while playing varsity basketball for Downey Christian School in fifth grade. He sparked polarized opinions, with some outlets touting him as a child prodigy and others criticizing the way he was marketed. Early life At age three, Newman began showing interest in basketball and his father Jamie soon had him play with regulation-size balls and in recreational leagues with older boys. His father trained him rigorously from a young age, with Newman reportedly making 100 free throws, 200 floaters, and 200 jump shots each day at practice. Middle school career In the fall of 2012, after initially attending public schools, Newman transferred to Downey Christian School, a small private school in Orlando, Florida, after his father began coaching basketball and teaching history at the school. As a fifth grader, he began playing basketball for the middle school team. But after seeing immediate success, scoring as many as 91 points in a game, he was promoted to the varsity team. His team competed outside the jurisdiction of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). An 11-year-old point guard, Newman stood and weighed 70 pounds. Despite wearing the smallest available uniform, he had to tighten the shoulders of his jersey with a hair tie and roll the waistband of his shorts to prevent them from falling off. Through his first three starts, he averaged 12.4 points, 11 assists, and 4.3 steals per game. He led Downey Christian to a 21–6 record while leading the state of Florida in assists.