“I defiantly had some thoughts about if I would be able to return for the 2023-2024 season.” Newman told TFON. “I had been through so much over my career, my body has been through enough at that point, the time and energy it was going to take me just to hit the base line was going to be tough. I wanted to maximize my potentially and surpass it, so I sat down and told myself every day, this is going to be one hell of a fight I am going to have to put up.”
“There would be days, where I would question if I even had it in me anymore. I was left thinking at times, can I even do this and get back to the level I want to be and compete at. Knowing we were heading into the Big 12, it left me with another question if I would even be ready for that challenge. I had plenty of days and nights where I questioned myself, asking is this something I even want to do anymore. Did I want to risk getting back into the game and potentially getting hurt again and potentially start all over from square one. I had a lot of doubt, but something just told me deep down, that you just can’t stop. I made a promise to myself, that I would not stop, no matter the circumstances. I am a huge man of faith, so I put a lot of trust in God, for him to heal my body and get me back to a place I know I needed to be at for this team.”
Despite Newman playing the best ball of his collegiate career, the sixth year forward credits his success to Bearcats head athletic trainer Bob Mangine and Strength and Conditioning coach Mike Rehfeldt for getting him back to full strength this offseason. “There was days Coach Rehfeldt looked at me in the weight room and told me to take it easy and I questioned why? He looked at me and said, because John, we are trying to prepare you for March Madness.”
“I have to give a shoutout to Bob Mangine, he really needs his flowers. I want to thank them for staying patient with me. He truly helped me put my body back together. Newman explained. “There were days I looked at Bob in the training room and asked, how is this going to help me? He just looked at me and said, just trust me. He is a legend in his field, he is such an overflow of resources, he is the best at what he does. Having him by my side throughout the process was absolutely huge.”
Newman’s leadership qualities have been clear to many people who are around the Bearcats program, and that is something he takes tremendous pride in and credits those attributes to his father. “He has been the example for me throughout my whole life as the leader of our household,” said Newman. “He has been able to show me how to be a man and what it truly means to be a leader.”
That is something Wes Miller has been instilling in the veteran forward since they reunited in Cincinnati back in 2021. “I look at myself as a leader of this team, guys look to me as a leader of this team. Coach Miller has really challenged me to be more vocal,” Newman explained. “I’m not the most vocal guy, but I like to pull guys to the side, have those 1-1 conversations then just blurt things out, but I have always been that way growing up. My job is to pass the knowledge that I have down to the next person, each one, teach one.”
For, those who aren’t familiar, Newman graduated from Clemson University in 2021 with his undergraduate degree in sports communications. “I actually learned quite a bit from that field, so I do want to utilize that in some capacity. “Newman told TFON. “Once I put the basketball down, my ultimate goal is to be in a management position with an NBA team. I want to be able to call some shots down the line, I feel like I could be pretty good at it. I want to stay around the game, I have been so blessed over the years because of what basketball has given me, it provided such an awesome life. Basketball has blessed me with the opportunity to shake hands with a lot of people that could be willing to help me,”
Despite all the adversity Newman has faced throughout his colligate career, it is safe to say it has shaped him to be the player he is today. We have seen many tremendous Bearcats over the season amongst the likes of Tre Scott, David DeJulius, Gary Clark, Jarron Cumberland, but for Newman, he is quickly approaching that tier as he wraps up his tremendous playing career. Newman’s legacy doesn’t just stop on the hardwood, but his impact in the Cincinnati community is something that many Bearcat fans will remember from his playing career.
