Malik Newman was named MVP of the FIBA U17 World Championship and his potential future college teammate Diamond Stone also made the All-Tournament Team Saturday as the USA beat Australia, 99-92, in the gold medal game in Dubai.
The 6-foot-4 Newman from Jackson (MS) Calloway went for 21 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists in the win. Jayson Tatum added 15 points and Harry Giles and Josh Jackson both scored 13 points.
Coach Don Showalter won his third consecutive U17 gold medal.
Newman and Stone have discussed a college package deal, with UConn, Kentucky and Kansas among those in the mix.
Newman joins an elite group that includes 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship MVP Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards and Duke University freshman Jahlil Okafor, the 2012 U17 MVP.
“It felt great,” said Newman after being named MVP. “We had a lot of players who played tremendous at this camp, so for those guys to think that I won the MVP was just an honor.
“Brad Beal, he’s an all-star in the NBA,” Newman added. “And Jahlil, he’ll be an all-star in the NBA also. For me to be mentioned with those guys is an honor and a blessing at the same time.”
“Brad Beal is in the NBA and he’s one of the top guards in the NBA right now and in 2010 he was the MVP and was just a great kid, a lot like Malik, a good leader,” added Showalter when asked to compare the three. “Then Jahlil Okafor was (MVP two years ago and he’s probably going to be in the NBA obviously for a long time as well. So, I think Malik falls right in that category with those two guys. It’s really good to see Malik step up. Sometimes kids this age defer a little bit, but there was no deferring with Malik tonight.”
The game will be rebroadcast at 10 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPNU. Photo: USA Basketball Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter And like ZAGS on Facebook