SDSU Aztecs add lead playmaker in the portal, Sean Newman Jr.
LA Tech Athletics
After losing Nick Boyd to the transfer portal, Brian Dutcher was looking for a floor general to take the reins of the offense.
Early Wednesday morning, the Aztecs got a commitment from Louisiana Tech transfer point guard Sean Newman Jr.
Newman Jr is 6-foot-1 with some simply eye-popping passing ability.
The SoCal native averaged 9.9 PPG and 7.9 APG last year for Louisiana Tech.
Newman Jr won’t jump off the screen with ankle-breaking moves and deep threes. He simply makes the right play. He broke the Bulldogs’ single-game record with 20, yes TWENTY, assists against Rust College earlier in the season.
Newman Jr makes the right plays at the right times. He will fit perfectly in the Aztec system.
Assistant coach Ryan Badrtalei first contacted Newman Jr. when he was on UC Irvine’s staff before joining the Aztecs on the Mesa.
Badrtalei then put Newman Jr. in contact with JayDee Luster, who, per Mark Zeigler of the San Diego Union-Tribune, asked him, “Have you ever driven a Lamborghini?” After a long pause, Luster added, “Well, I’ve got the keys for you.” Luster is talking about the Aztec roster and the upside.
When asked about the conversation, “That’s how our conversation started. I was pretty fired up,” Newman Jr. stated.
It is safe to say the Aztecs are excited about Newman Jr.’s arrival in The Mesa—and they should be.
Newman Jr. will be able to do what he does best: get downhill and make reads.
An underlying attribute of Newman Jr. is his ability to make free throws at the charity stripe. He shot 83.8% this past year, which is enormous for an Aztec team that sometimes struggles from the line.
Aztec fans should be excited about what has happened over the past few days. With Magoon Gwath returning and removing his name from the portal and adding a floor general like Newman Jr., the sky is the limit for the Aztecs next year and what they could accomplish in their last season in the Mountain West before heading into the newly reformed Pac-12.
Assistant Coach at Heritage High School. A big time SDSU fanatic and Padres fan.