Recruiting Report: Woody Newton (2020)
The class of 2020 in the DMV area is loaded with high Division I talent. McKinley Technical High School in Washington D.C. had one of those big-time talents this season in freshman Woody Newton. The scary part is even though he stands 6’8″ 165 pounds, Newton still has a lot of growing and development ahead of him.
In his freshman campaign, Newton averaged 13 points and seven rebounds per game for the 16-9 McKinley Tech Trainers. More times than not, Newton’s length stands out over everyone else on the floor. Usually kids with his size at his age struggle with coordination issues and doing a ton with the ball on the perimeter, but Newton prides himself in being able to handle the ball like a guard.
His versatility makes him a threat every time the ball is in his hands. A coach’s dream in today’s game is to have a big man who can corral a defensive rebound and immediately push the ball in transition. Newton not only can do that, but can finish the fastbreak with a bucket of his own.
As the summer approaches, Newton has plans to take his game to another level as he plays for a talented Team Thrill’s 15U team.
“I’m working on my guard play and becoming more explosive,” Newton told PrepHoops. “Honestly, I think I’m a very versatile player now and can impact the game in any way possible.”
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Not only is Newton a handful on offense, but his length automatically makes him a shot-blocking presence on defense.He has a great mixture of athleticism and anticipation to block shots and jump passing lanes. As he wants to grow his versatility on the offensive end, Newton also told PrepHoops he wants to improve his on-ball defensive skills so he can guard guards if the situations calls for it.
Newton currently holds an offer from Kansas State. Maryland, N.C. State, and Wyoming.
It’s not a stretch at all to say that Newton has an extremely high ceiling. Even though he looks comfortable in his body already, as he continues to grow and mature he will only get more explosive and controlled, which means plenty of havoc will be caused when your team plays against McKinley Tech.