After visiting Ole Miss this past weekend and witnessing the football team’s epic victory over traditional national power Alabama, Malik Newman was positively glowing about the school — and its chances to land him.
“I actually can see myself there,” he told Courtney Cronin of The Clarion-Ledger. “The team is really good and they’re winning. Like Coach (Andy Kennedy) said, I think I can be their piece to get them over the hump.”
The 6-foot-4 Newman out of Jackson (MS) Calloway witnessed Ole Miss’ biggest football victory in years, a 23-17 win over Alabama that has them in the national playoff picture.
“I picked the right time to visit Ole Miss,” Newman said. “I had a good time. The atmosphere was great.”
Newman added: “Right now, Ole Miss stands a good chance. I really like them. I just need to take my time and see what happens.”
The 6-foot-4 Newman is due to visit Texas A&M this coming weekend, and is also being courted by Kentucky, Kansas, UConn and N.C. State, among others. He has yet to release an official list of schools, but is expected to commit in the spring.
Newman said Kennedy told him he be the missing piece that could help propel the Ole Miss basketball program to national prominence.
“I have to take it for what it’s worth,” Newman said. “It’s not like (Kennedy) was lying about what he was saying, I just really have to weigh out my options.”
