Indiana Guard Jakai Newton Out Indefinitely After Surgery

After missing the entire 2023-24 season with an injury, Indiana announced Wednesday that Jakai Newton is out indefinitely.

Indiana's Jakai Newton (0) scores against Marian at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana redshirt freshman guard Jakai Newton is out indefinitely.

According to a statement from the program, Newton underwent successful surgery to treat an injury to his lower body. He will be out indefinitely but is expected to return this season. This injury is not related to the one he had prior to the start of the 2023-24 season.

Newton missed his entire true freshman season due to a knee injury, but he received a medical redshirt and still had four years of eligibility going into the 2024-25 season. Indiana coach Mike Woodson said on the Inside Indiana Basketball radio show in October that Newton had been dealing with a hamstring injury.

Newton, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound guard, appeared in three games for Indiana this season. He played 14 total minutes and scored six points on 3-for-6 shooting, along with two rebounds and one steal.

The latest news on Newton's injury comes a week after Indiana announced sophomore guard Gabe Cupps underwent a successful surgery to treat a preexisting, nagging injury to his lower body. He will be out indefinitely, and Woodson said Monday that Cupps will probably redshirt.

Cupps and Newton were two of Indiana's backcourt options off the bench, but the team still has Myles Rice, Kanaan Carlyle, Trey Galloway, Bryson Tucker and Anthony Leal to fill the guard minutes.

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