Fourth-Grader's Got Game on High School Court
Jaden Newman proves you don't have to be tall, threatening or out of elementary school to run circles around girls on the high school varsity basketball team.
The 9-year-old sharpshooter from Orlando stands at just 4'7", but averages 14.8 points and 7.5 assists per game with her team at Downey Christian School. In a video posted to YouTube, she shows off her talents, dropping three-pointer after layup after three-pointer with the aim and tenacity of Steph Curry.
The other players tend to be a whole foot taller than she is, but Jaden simply dribbles around them and through them, and if it were possible to fly above them, she would probably do that too.
"She wants to be like Diana Taurasi," Jaden's dad Jamie Newman, told ESPN. "She wants to play for her country, for Connecticut and in the WNBA."
Jamie serves as head coach for Jaden's team, and points out that Jaden played hoops for the varsity team when she was a third-grader. Her highest-scoring game to date was when she racked up 63 points playing against boys.
According to Yahoo! Sports, the Newman family practically breeds athletes, as Jaden's brother Julian started for the varsity team as a fifth-grader.
Not only does Jaden play for her school team, she's also on an 11U AAU team called Central Florida Hoops Elite. Let's just say the Internet is impressed.
"I hope people realize just how special this really is," YouTube user Coach writes. "She's 9-10 yrs old and she's playing against girls an entire generation older and killing them. Amazing."
Zachary McCleese adds, "I don't care who you are or where you are from, being a 9-year-old who can even semi-compete against 14-18-year-olds is unbelievably impressive… even more impressive when you look like one of the best players on the court. What a rare and special talent."
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