Jakai Newton Latest Indiana Player To Go Into Transfer Portal

Jakai Newton’s career at Indiana was marred by multiple injury problems. He only played four games in two seasons with the program, and entered the transfer portal on Monday.

Indiana's Jakai Newton (0) scores during the the Indiana versus Marian men's basketball exhibition game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Due to multiple injury problems, Jakai Newton never got the chance to show Indiana fans what he could do in his two seasons with the Hoosiers.

Now he will try to show a different set of fans what he might be able to do.

Newton announced via his Instagram feed that he has entered the transfer portal.

Newton only played four games for the Hoosiers, all in the 2024-25 season and all but one of them in nonconference play.

It was a small sampling of the potential that the athletic 6-foot-3 guard had. Injury woes turned his Indiana career into a frustrating two-year endeavor.

Newton was a promising recruit out of Newton High School in Covington, Ga. and part of the Class of 2023 recruiting group that also included Gabe Cupps, and later, Mackenzie Mgbako. Both of those players are also in the transfer portal.

Newton suffered a knee injury during his senior season at Newton. Late in the summer of 2023, Newton had surgery and would not play during what would have been his freshman season.

Given a medical waiver, Newton began the 2024-25 as a freshman, but injuries kept him on the sideline again.

Newton suffered a hamstring injury and an unspecified lower body that he had surgery to repair. He was declared out indefinitely in December and would only return for one more game – a four-minute appearance against Illinois on Jan. 14.

Sam Houston State Bearkats guard Josiah Hammons (57) shoots the ball while Indiana Hoosiers guard Jakai Newton (0) defends in the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Newton’s appearances with the Hoosiers presented a very small sample size. In the second game of the 2024-25 season, Newton peaked with eight minutes of game time. In his next game, nearly a month later against Sam Houston State, he reached his career high of four points. Newton only attempted six shots in his career.

Newton is the fourth scholarship player to enter the transfer portal. Cupps and Malik Reneau announced their intention to enter the portal last week. Mgbako put himself into the portal earlier on Monday.

Today was the first day the portal was open for all men’s and women’s college basketball, but the portal opened for Indiana players last week after Mike Woodson’s tenure ended as coach.

Darian DeVries was hired last Tuesday from West Virginia as Indiana’s 31st men’s basketball coach.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• TOP THREE MOMENTS AT INDIANA FOR MACKENZIE MGBAKO: Mackenzie Mgbako's best moments in an Indiana uniform. CLICK HERE.

• WHAT WENT WRONG AND HOW CAN DEVRIES FIX IT? Shooting was inconsistent for Indiana in 2024-25. What can Darian DeVries do to fix it? CLICK HERE.

• KANAAN CARLYLE REPORT CARD: What Hoosiers On SI thought of Kanaan Carlyle's season with Indiana. CLICK HERE.

• MYLES RICE REPORT CARD: Mike Woodson brought in Washington State transfer Myles Rice to improve Indiana’s guard play, and it produced mixed results. CLICK HERE

• MALIK RENEAU REPORT CARD: Junior forward Malik Reneau missed time due to injury but led the Hoosiers with 13.3 points per game. CLICK HERE

• ANTHONY LEAL REPORT CARD: Bloomington native Anthony Leal developed into a key defender for the Hoosiers. CLICK HERE

• TREY GALLOWAY REPORT CARD: Indiana guard Trey Galloway averaged 8.8 points and became a key facilitator in his fifth-year senior season. CLICK HERE

• LUKE GOODE REPORT CARD: What Hoosiers On SI thought of Luke Goode's season with Indiana. CLICK HERE.

• MGBAKO INTO PORTAL: Mackenzie Mgbako placed himself into the transfer portal on Monday. CLICK HERE.