Jackson Free Press

This week, former Callaway High School and current Mississippi State University star Malik Newman declared for the NBA Draft. Looking back at last spring, this would hardly be a surprise, as Newman was one of the most sought-after prospects in the country.

Flash forward to this season, and him entering the NBA Draft is not the great prospect it was just one year earlier. In his freshman season, he really struggled to shine for large parts of the season.

His stats are the best way to tell the story. This season, he averaged 11.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Those aren’t the stats that NBA scouts were hoping to see in the guard’s one-and-done freshman season.

In fact, Newman finished No. 4 on the team in scoring, No. 3 in assists and No. 6 in rebounding. At the same time, fellow freshman Quinndary Weatherspoon averaged 12 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

Newman also finished No. 2 on the team in turnovers with 1.9 per game, and he shot just 39 percent from the field; however, he did shoot a pretty good percentage from the three-point range at 38 percent from the field.

It is only fair to point out that Newman wasn’t healthy for most of the season. He started it sitting out games due to a toe injury and got banged up as the season went along.

You have to wonder what kind of numbers a healthy Newman would put up from the start to the end of the season.

While Newman declared for the draft, he didn’t hire an agent, which allows him to return to the Bulldogs if he doesn’t like his draft position. That means Newman will be able to attend the NBA Draft Combine and be able to get feedback about his draft prospects.

Newman will have options no matter how the NBA Draft Combine works out for him. Here are my opinions on Newman’s choices. Keep in mind that they are not a declaration for what the young man should do in the draft.

If he is told he will be a first-round pick, even late first round, he should probably stay in the draft.

Unless he is certain to be a top pick in the second round, like one of the first three to five picks, he should return to Starkville.

That is, unless he doesn’t mind playing in the NBA D-League or maybe even having to play overseas for a few seasons.

Newman staying in the draft all depends on how much he wants to just play basketball for a living or needs money from playing the sport. Bettering his game in the D-League or overseas is not a bad way to make a living.

But if Newman doesn’t like what he hears, he can always return to Mississippi State. Nothing says he is a bust or failure because he didn’t shine right away. …

Now that the four-day marathon that is SEC Football Media Days is underway, there are plenty of questions for every team. The media will get its chance at players and head coaches from Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi this week.

MSU players and head coach Dan Mullen will face sports reporters Tuesday, July 12. Mullen will have plenty to talk about while he is at the podium.

One of the biggest questions that he will face is how the university handled the Jeffery Simmons’ case. In case you missed it, Simmons was seen on video striking a woman who was involved in an altercation with his sister.

MSU allowed Simmons to enroll in school, but there were conditions placed on the player. The athletic program gave him a slap on the wrist with a one-game suspension.

Simmons, a five-star recruit from Noxubee County High School, will miss the game against the University of South Alabama. Mullen will have to answer questions on why the school let Simmons enroll and what steps they are taking to ensure that he doesn’t have a repeat of his behavior.

Finding the new replacement for Dak Prescott will also be a major focus.

After Mullen gets grilled about Simmons, attention at some point will turn to finding out who will be the next quarterback for the Bulldogs. Currently, it looks like Nick Fitzgerald is the leader for the top spot, but will that change between now and game one?

Mullen might get asked about new defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon and whether he will stay in the position for more than a year. MSU has hired six defensive coordinators in eight years, which is a lot of turnover for a coordinator job.

Other topics could include satellite camps and whether the Bulldogs will find their running game this season. Plenty of questions will be on MSU facing a rebuilding or down year, but expect Mullen to quash those questions.

UM Rebels coach Hugh Freeze doesn’t face the media until Thursday and probably hopes after four days, there will be some fatigue from those firing questions. Freeze is one of the few coaches that will get grilled.

The first topic he will face is the Laremy Tunsil situation. Unless you have been living under a rock, there is no way that you missed the former offensive tackle’s draft night drop.

UM is facing sanctions from the NCAA already over violations of the football program. Now, new allegations of Tunsil taking money from a coach might add to the program’s troubles. Freeze will do his best to answer questions carefully or deflect those questions. The Rebels are considered a program on the rise, but allegations of bending, if not breaking, the rules have dogged Freeze almost since his arrival in Oxford.

The Rebels will also face some law-and-order questions after defensive end Breeland Speaks and offensive guard Rod Taylor ran afoul with the law. …