Former Malibu High School basketball standout Jordan Newt decided to drive and score in one of his two passions many months after his 2015 graduation from MHS.
Newt decided to shoot for his hoops dreams instead of diving into his music career as a popular rapper. Now, the 20-year-old will attend the Missouri University of Science and Technology in the fall with a full athletic scholarship paying the way.
“It feels really great,” said Newt, who averaged more than 20 points a game during his senior season at Malibu. “The school costs $46,000 and I am going for free.”
The point guard made his intentions of joining the Missouri S&T Miners roster official during a signing ceremony in the basketball gym at Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills on July 13. Newt, who played point guard for the community college’s basketball team the past two seasons, signed his letter of intent while surrounded by friends and family, including Malibu basketball coach Richard Harris. Newt posed for pictures while wearing a Missouri S&T shirt before digging into a white cake adorned with green and yellow frosting (white, green and yellow are his new team’s colors). Icing on the dessert spelled out “CONGRATULATIONS JORDAN MISSOURI S&T BOUND.”
Newt is joining a Midwestern basketball team that finished last season with a 3-23 record. The Miners, a NCAA Division II team that plays in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, lost 16 of its last 18 games. Newt, the owner of a trio of 30 or more-point contests and more than a handful of double-digit scoring games during his sophomore season as a Pierce College Brahma Bull, is shooting to push his new team to a lot more wins this coming season.
“I plan to put my head down and work,” he said. “My goal is to be the best player and help the team win.”
Basketball was barely dribbling around Newt’s mind after he graduated from Malibu three years ago. He was working and thinking about reigniting his fledging hip-hop career, which featured popular songs “Quagmire,” “iPhone,” and “Skinny Pants and Vans.” Plus, his family was filming the first season of an unaired reality show for VH1.
Newt played basketball sometimes at 24 Hour Fitness, but his crossover back to the sport he has loved since he was a tike occurred after he scored 76 points in one game in a Calabasas men’s basketball league. Jordan called his father, music producer Robert Newt, after the contest and told him the high-scoring news. Robert didn’t believe him, so later that day the younger Newt showed his dad the stat sheet from the matchup.
“He said, ‘You need to play basketball again,’” Jordan recalled.
Jordan’s mother, Shonnie Martinez, a former high school hoops player, also recommended her son pursue basketball again.
“Music, you can do anytime, but with basketball you start getting older, your body starts giving up,” Newt said. “Plus, I have loved basketball since I was little. I started music when I was 13. Basketball was my first passion, so I decided to go hard at it to see where it can take me.”
Newt committed himself to the sport like never before—lifting weights and practicing his jump shot continuously—and ended up on Pierce College’s basketball team at the beginning of the 2016-17 season.
He began his freshman season as a backup point guard and scored nine points in the Brahmas’ opening-season loss. Newt managed three points in the following contest, another defeat. He started the third game of the season and led the team to victory by scoring 15 points and dishing five assists. He scored 19 points the next game, another win, then poor play in two consecutive losses resulted in him losing his status as a starter.
Newt started Pierce College’s 10th game of the season and scored 22 points. He started 14 of the team’s last 18 games and scored in double digits in 10 of those matchups.
Newt said his first season of college basketball was frustrating, but he was determined to have a bigger role on the team his second season. By the time the first ball was dribbled for his sophomore season, he had shown head coach Charles White he could lead the team.
The former Malibu player led the Brahmas in top-scoring fashion as soon as the season tipped off. Newt peppered opposing defenses with deep three-point shots, floaters and speedy forays to the rim throughout the 26-game season. The guard scored 31 points in one win and dropped 34 points in a loss. Newt had four different stretches in the 2017-18 campaign and he scored at least 20 points in three straight games.
He averaged 20.7 points and shot 43.9 percent from the three-point range on the season. The scorer was also named to the Western State Conference South Division’s 2018 All-Conference first team.
Newt said he was confident in his game.
“Sophomore season, the coach believed in me more,” he said. “I really got to do my thing. As long as I work hard and do my thing, it can be a positive outcome.”
Newt said he was a good shooter his senior season of high school, but he splashes even more shots now.
“I’m pretty good at scoring at all levels,” he said, adding, “I try to be a dog on the court. I try to do everything—rebound, steals—whatever it takes to win.”
Harris, the Malibu High basketball coach, said Newt, who played on nonvarsity basketball teams at Harvard-Westlake for three years before transferring to Malibu, is a determined player.
“Of all the guys he played with at both high schools, he’s the only one with a scholarship to play and is still playing basketball,” Harris said. “He was the backup junior varsity point guard at Westlake his junior year. Now, he has a full-ride to play in college. That is rare.”
Newt invited Harris, a former Pierce College coach, to a few of his college games the past two seasons. Harris went, and he also took the Sharks basketball team to see Newt play. Newt called the coach a basketball mentor.
Harris said he stays in contact with the former Malibu player because he believes in helping student-athletes stay on a positive track after high school. He said Newt is a good example for recent members of the Malibu High basketball team who desire to play college basketball.
“It gives them a clear path they can follow,” Harris said, “and shows them hard work can pay off.”
Newt plans to have a business degree at the end of his two years at Missouri S&T. He wants to lead the Miners to the playoffs and hopefully the national championship by the end of his senior season
“I don’t know how many points I’m going to average, but I’m going to make an impact on the court,” Newt said.
Harris predicted Newt will be the Miners’ best player and lead them to a Great Lakes Valley Conference title and the playoffs.
“He finds a way to shine,” Harris said.