Georgia PF Asa Newell headed to Atlanta Hawks in NBA Draft first round: Highlights, stats

Asa Newell from Georgia basketball is officially an NBA rookie after being picked by the New Orleans Pelicans and traded to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. He was the No. 23 overall draft pick.

Newell is the 41st player to go from the court at Stegeman Coliseum to the league, following the most recent pick Anthony Edwards in 2020. He’s the eighth overall to be picked from Georgia this century.

Here’s what he’s bringing to the Hawks, based on our observations from his freshman season with the Bulldogs.

What Asa Newell brings to the Atlanta Hawks in the 2025 NBA Draft

The 6-foot-11, 220-pound power forward helped Georgia make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade. His frame at 19-years-old is NBA-level, making him agile, long and fast. He still has a way to go in terms of building discipline, but any untapped ability after one full season out of high school will reveal itself over time. He has the energy and the potential.

He was selected four times as SEC Freshman of the Week, matching Edwards’ school record, and averaged 15.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He started all 33 games, shooting 54.3% in the field, 29.2% beyond the arc and 74.8% at the charity stripe. He’s a lob threat and a shot-blocker, offering smooth, fluid mechanics to any backcourt defense he’s part of. His feet are like springs, making him a strong dunker and a lockdown rim protector.