In a year where Sam Newman claimed his second NBL Division One Playoff Championship crown, with his first Finals MVP trophy to boot, he’d be forgiven for looking back on 2024 with a certain fondness.
Rising to the top of the overall NBL charts in terms of career assists and leading his side into the Christmas break unbeaten for the 2024/25 league season, as well as sitting as National Cup semi-finalists, he can consider the year a job well done and he continues to endear himself to the Storm faithful as somewhat of a favourite son.
First finding himself in Hemel for the 2019/20 campaign under the watch of Dru Spinks, Newman spent one year away with the Essex Rebels, finishing off his studies at University, before returning to the place he has now called home for the past four seasons.
In that time he has grown in stature, both on and off the court, and is now recognised as one of the leading British point guards on the scene. He’s witnessed great success, a vital part of the undefeated team of 2022/23 that bagged four pieces of silverware, and arguably played an even greater role in last season’s Playoff Championship title.
With the club in a period of transition after Spinks called time on his spell in Hemel at the beginning of the 2023/24 season, the team also losing influential faces in Taylor Johnson and Aaryn Rai, Newman was forced to step even further up the ladder and became a guiding force in Mark Clark’s new-look side.
After coming through some early struggles, they went on to achieve Playoff glory for the second year straight, with Newman’s input massive as he picked up an MVP trophy that was symbolic of his importance to the team.
It comes as little surprise then, that in our New Year's catch up with Newman, he deems the past year to be “no doubt” a success.
“Some teams go years without winning, so any season you pick up any silverware is a success in my books.”
He lifted that silverware hand-in-hand with Jack Burnell, in recognition of his role as ‘on-court captain’ throughout the 2023/24 season, but assumed the captaincy honour in full at the beginning of the latest campaign.
His quality as a leader has shone through, with a subtle sense of encouragement and an ability to choose the right time to push on other members of the squad with a touch of assertive authority, but he believes he has had to do little to adapt into his altered role.
“It doesn’t feel like a whole lot has changed if I'm being honest. I’d like to hope over the last few seasons I've acted alongside Tayo & Jack in a way that kind of meant me stepping in was both seamless and uneventful.”
Spending the vast majority of his career acting as the floor general, ordering his troops and calling the plays on the floor, Newman feels that experience has played a helping hand in his transition toward captaincy.
“It’s definitely easier for me given my role as point guard because you naturally have to direct traffic on court, so I just put a little more time and effort into doing the same off the court. It’s definitely more natural on than off the court, but it will only get easier over time.”
As the conversation turns to talk of his duties with ball in hand, he’s quick to mention his status as the all time leading NBL assister, but jokingly adds “Who’s counting, right?”.
From the more simplistic provider to the flashy conductor, with behind-the-back and no-look passes galore, Newman has certainly made his name as a high-level gift giver to his teammates, but insists it is not something he puts particular emphasis on, and feels it’s an asset that’s a product of a long time spent in the game.
“It’s not really something I work on if I’m honest. I’m going into my 15th year of structured basketball so at this stage organising the madness and getting people in the right positions is kind of second nature.”
An average of 8.4 assists per game so far this campaign, comfortably a league high, has helped Storm cement their place at the top of NBL Division One, with no defeats to their name.
Despite losing out at the semi-final stage of the KitKing Trophy, Storm remain in the hunt for a trio of prizes, with their National Cup campaign now reaching the semi-final, and both the regular season and Playoff titles to play for later down the line.
With silverware now becoming customary at the club, such has been the level of recent success, Newman sets high standards for himself and the team, and expects the New Year to bring even greater glory for Storm.
“There has to be silverware; we are too good as a group, a club and as a collective to go into seasons without the bar being winning.”
It’s a feeling widespread among the squad, with such determination clearly contributing to the overwhelmingly healthy culture at the club, and the side are pulling no punches in terms of where their ambitions lie.
“I’m not going to say if we don’t go 3/3 on the league, cup and playoffs it would be a failure, but I know both myself and the team are driven enough that we’d feel like it was.”
The second stretch of the season is where the big bucks are won and legacies are forged, and the journey starts on Sunday with the cup semi-final clash against Newcastle Knights.
On getting back to work, Newman states he is “very excited” and acknowledges “we have such a good group of guys that it’s super easy to get motivated.”
The Knights visit the StormDome in what will be the second meeting of the sides, with Storm claiming a comfortable victory on their trip to Tyneside in early October.
But Newman won’t be lured into a false sense of security, fully aware that Newcastle will pose a serious challenge with a talented roster and a place in the National Cup final to play for.
“It’s obviously even better to have the cup semi straight away, to lock in a chance at a trophy later in the month.”
“We’ll take nothing for granted as this Newcastle side were already talented and have got better since we last played.”
There’s not long left now, with Storm back in action this weekend. To grab your tickets for Sunday’s game and catch the team in action for the first time in 2025, head to the Fanbase app via the link here. Tip off is at 5pm.
Written by Callum Humphrey