in the city of Sapporo. Newton joined Japanese superstar Takehiko Orimo for the inaugural season of the Rera Kamuy Hokkaido and, after a season of adjustment, they have turned the team into a leading force in the JBL. Newton and his team have the enthusiastic support of local residents, who are excited to have professional basketball in their city. Newton leads his team in scoring (17 points per game), rebounding (12 per game), blocked shots (1.4 per game) and being 4 feet taller than everyone else. He is also among the JBL League leaders in scoring, field goal percentage, blocked shots and rebounding. His accomplishments were acknowledged in 2007, as he was one of only four foreign (non-Japanese) players to be selected for the JBL League All-Star Game, which featured 24 of the top players in Japan. In 2008, Newton became a two-time All-Star and was the second-leading vote-getter among foreign players. Newton helped lead the East to a 120–98 victory by scoring 18 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in only 18 minutes of play. In the off-season of 2009 he played for the Chico Rage in the highly competitive Sacramento Professional Development League (SPDL) where he averaged 25.8 pts. 8.5 rebs. and 2 blocked shots a game going up against NBA players Donte Greene, Jason Thompson, and Matt Barnes. From 2010 to 2012, Newton played for Link Tochigi Brex of the JBL. Player profile Newton is a versatile, all-purpose front court player who mostly plays the power forward position, but has also played center, small forward, and point forward throughout his career. Newton is considered one of the best shooters in Japan, hitting over 60 percent of his field goal attempts. Newton briefly struggled with his free throw shooting early in the 2008–09 JBL season. However, by converting 80 percent (12/15) of his free throw attempts against a "Hack-a-Newt" defense by the Mitsubishi Diamond Dolphins, Newton has proven to be a solid free throw shooter as well. On offense, Newton utilizes his quickness, size, and strength to get past defenders. Newton is known for his exceptional agility and upper body strength, which puts him among the leaders at finishing down low in the paint. He is a solid rebounder who regularly ranks among the league leaders in rebounds. His overall skill sets and on-court play have led to many comparisons to NBA legends Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin McHale, and Kevin