The highlight reels were everywhere. If you were on Instagram or YouTube between 2012 and 2018, you literally could not escape the kid with the oversized jersey and the blindingly fast crossover. Julian Newman was the ultimate viral basketball prodigy, a 4-foot-5 fifth-grader starting on a high school varsity team at Downey Christian. He was on Ellen. He was on Good Morning America. He was, for a moment, the most famous basketball player in the world not currently in the NBA.
Fast forward to 2026. The hype has cooled. The mixtapes have stopped. And the question everyone keeps asking—the one that still pops up in every comment section—is: What ever happened with julian newman college basketball?
The answer isn't a Hollywood ending. Honestly, it's a bit of a reality check.
The Bethesda University Debut: A Reality Check in California
For years, people speculated where Julian would end up. D1? Overseas? The G-League? After a long hiatus where he basically disappeared from the competitive circuit to focus on his family's reality show, Hello Newmans, Julian finally surfaced on a college roster.
In 2024, at 23 years old, Julian Newman signed with Bethesda University in California.
This wasn't the Duke or Kentucky debut fans might have imagined back in 2013. Bethesda is a small school that competes in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association). They aren't an NCAA Division I powerhouse. They play in the Southwestern States Intercollegiate Conference.
His debut on October 24, 2024, against The Master’s University, was... rough. He went scoreless. 0-for-6 from the field, with every single shot being a three-pointer. His team lost 109-23. Yes, you read that right. A 109-23 loss.
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The Stats Nobody Wants to Talk About
When we talk about julian newman college basketball today, the numbers tell a very different story than the high school mixtapes. In high school, Julian was a scoring machine, famously surpassing the Florida prep scoring record. But the transition to the collegiate level—even at the NCCAA level—has been a struggle.
During his freshman season (2024-25), the stat sheet looked like this:
- Games played: 11
- Points per game: 1.9
- Field Goal Percentage: 16.3%
- Three-Point Percentage: 15.2%
- Minutes per game: Roughly 6.2
It’s hard to reconcile these numbers with the kid who once dropped 91 points in a middle school game. Most of his points came in small bursts. He had a 5-point game against West Coast Baptist and an 11-point outlier toward the end of February 2025. But for the most part, the "Prodigy" struggled to find the bottom of the net.
Why the Hype Didn't Translate to the D1 Level
So, why didn't any Division I schools bite? You’d think a kid with millions of followers would be an NIL goldmine for a mid-major program. But college coaches don't recruit followers; they recruit skill sets that fit within a system.
The biggest hurdle was always his size. Julian is listed at 5-foot-7 (though many scouts say he's closer to 5-foot-5). In a modern game where even point guards are often 6-foot-3, being that small requires elite, generational athleticism or lights-out shooting.
The second issue was his play style. Julian grew up playing "ISO" ball—lots of dribbling, flashy moves, and deep, contested threes. While that looks incredible on a YouTube mixtape against unranked high schoolers, it's a nightmare for a college coach trying to run a disciplined offense.
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At the college level, defenders are faster. They don't fall for the fifth crossover. They just stay home and use their length to block the shot. You can see it in his 16% shooting percentage at Bethesda—the windows he used to shoot through just aren't there anymore.
Where Is Julian Newman Now? (2025-2026 Update)
Entering the 2025-26 season, Julian was listed as a sophomore guard on the Bethesda roster. However, his presence on the court has been sporadic. There were rumors and reports circulating in late 2025 that he had distanced himself from the team, appearing more frequently on social media streams and lifestyle content than in box scores.
Bethesda’s schedule for the 2025-26 season has been a gauntlet of blowouts. They've faced schools like UC Irvine and Utah Tech, often losing by 60 or 70 points. In these games, Julian has often been a "DNP" (Did Not Play) or has seen extremely limited minutes.
The Branding Legacy vs. The On-Court Reality
It's easy to call Julian Newman a "bust," but that's not exactly fair. Most "busts" never make millions of dollars. Julian and his father, Jamie Newman, successfully turned a middle-school basketball career into a global brand: Prodigy.
They had:
- A reality show (Hello Newmans) that pulled millions of views.
- A clothing line that sold worldwide.
- A massive social media following that likely paid more than most overseas pro contracts.
In a way, Julian won the game of "fame." He just didn't win the game of basketball. His story is the ultimate cautionary tale of the "mixtape era." It shows that viral highlights are a great way to build a brand, but they can't replace the fundamental development needed to survive the jump from high school to college.
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What You Can Learn From the Julian Newman Story
If you're a young hooper looking at julian newman college basketball as a case study, there are a few blunt takeaways.
First, height is a factor, but skill set is the equalizer. Look at players like Muggsy Bogues or even Isaiah Thomas—they were small, but they were elite at finishing at the rim and moving without the ball. Julian’s game remained stagnant; he played the same way at 22 as he did at 12.
Second, the "system" matters. If you want to play at the next level, you have to prove you can play within a five-man offense. Flashy crossovers get you followers; high basketball IQ gets you scholarships.
Next Steps for Following the Career
If you want to keep tabs on Julian's final collegiate years or his move into the "influencer" basketball space, here is how to filter the noise:
- Check Official Rosters: Don't trust TikTok rumors. Check the Bethesda University Athletics website for the most recent box scores and active rosters.
- Look Beyond the Mixtape: If you see a new "highlight," look for the full game footage. It will give you a much better idea of how he's actually handling collegiate-level defense.
- Follow the Brand: Most of Julian’s future likely lies in the "Creator League" or celebrity basketball space (like the Crew League or similar tournaments) where his fame still carries significant weight.
The era of Julian Newman the "prospect" is over, but the era of Julian Newman the "influencer" is likely just getting started. He remains one of the most fascinating figures in the history of sports media—not because of how many games he won, but because of how he changed the way we look at young athletes.