2025 NBA Draft: Asa Newell Scouting Report
Evaluating the Georgia Bulldogs prospect ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
DRAFT EVALUATION: Top 10 pick
NBA ROLE: Two-way play finisher 4/5-tweener
REMINDS ME OF: Defensive-minded Marvin Bagley III, smaller Alex Sarr, chalant but streamlined Nic Claxton
RAW STATS: 15.4 PTS, 6.9 REB (3.3o/3.5d), 0.9 AST to 1.1 TOV, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2.4 PF in 29 MINS over 33 GAMES
ADVANCED STATS: 8.6 BPM, 23.0 USG%, 61.2 TS%, 14.0 OREB%, 13.5 DREB%, 6.7 AST%, 9.8 TOV%, 0.8 A/TO, 2.0 STL%, 3.8 BLK%
Background:
Birthday: Oct. 5, 2005
Height: Listed at 6-foot-11 by Georgia; previously listed at 6-9 by USAB and 6-10 by Montverde … (I’d guess he’s closer to 6-10 than 6-11)
Wingspan: N/A but likely around 7-feet
Weight: 220 pounds1
Was born in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up in Athens before his family moved to Florida.
Transferred to Montverde Academy when he was a rising junior in high school. Had never been a very high scorer until this season, really…
Freshman (Choctawhatchee HS): 4p/1.7r
Sophomore (Choctawhatchee): 14p/8.7r/2.3a
Junior (Montverde): 6.6p/5.2r
Senior (Montverde): 11.4p/6.1r
Same team as Cooper Flagg, Derik Queen, Liam McNeeley, Rob Wright…
Represented USA at U-17 and U-19 levels, including a gold medal at the U-17 World Cup.
Older brother is Jaden Newell, who was a preferred walk-on (now on a scholarship) at Georgia. Also has a younger sister. Dad is Justin Newell. Mother is Carmen Mitchell-Newell. Late grandmother is Jacqueline Mitchell, who was an administrative assistant at Georgia.
Played soccer (mom also played) through the 6th grade.
Takeaway:
Asa Newell is going to be a two-way play finisher in the NBA, although he has questions to answer — also on both ends — about being caught between the 4 and 5 positions. In a high-end outcome reliant on his shot and decision-making continuing to develop, he can be the fourth or fifth best player on a playoff team. In a lower-end outcome, he’s a valuable frontcourt bench piece with his energy, rebounding, and defense.
Newell has been highly productive as a freshman at Georgia in a way that hadn’t been the norm during his high school career. As of Feb. 8, he is averaging 15.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 block in 28.4 minutes per game while posting a 9.3 BPM with a 4.3 BLK% and a 14.2 OREB%. That’s a lot of numbers, but what they tell me is that Newell finishes possessions in the paint via finishing, rebounding, or shotblocking — and that, despite having some flaws, he’s an impactful player who creates extra possessions in multiple ways for his team.
Offensively, Newell’s strengths and improvements are fairly straightforward. Most of the time, he’s off-ball and moving towards the rim. If not, then he’s grabbing an offensive rebound, which he’s awesome at. Newell is finishing 72.8% (107/147) of his shots at the basket2, with 50.5%3 of those being assisted. On top of that, he has 44 dunks in 23 games. Newell can also create his own shot in the post a little bit, although I don’t expect this to be a forte in the NBA. It’s more about his hands, pop, and motor.
However, Newell has some improvements to make. He can still be more effective in the pick-and-roll — he’ll need to roll to the basket more in the NBA — and he offers little self-creation at the next level, shaky but slowly-improving three-point shooting (25.9 3P%), and minimal passing (in 23 games, 22 assists to 24 turnovers). These items become a little less relevant if he’s a full-time 5, but much more pertinent if he’s more so playing the 4.
Newell is a really appealing defensive prospect with his combination of size, mobility, twitch, production, and versatility. He’s still somewhat of a tweener on this end in that he gives up size and weight to some 5s, and this might be an issue down the line, but I feel like Asa has shown he can offset that with his elite motor, reaction time, and recovery margins linked to his physical tools.
Newell can be an amazing help defender. He times and measures himself very well when he’s tracking drives. His discipline can still improve at times, but he’s 19. Georgia’s had him playing the 4 next to another big (Somto Cyril) often, so I’ve liked those defensive looks a lot. I buy into Newell playing the low man in the NBA. I also expect that he’ll be able to switch in space and defend wings, as well as check guards. That’s thanks to his footspeed and capacity to repeatedly make multiple efforts while leveraging his size+run+jump abilities.
As of now, I feel like Asa’s defense and rebounding can get him on the floor in the NBA, but his still-developing offense might return him to the bench. That’s really the battle, because I really believe in the Georgia freshman’s motor, rim finishing, athleticism, and defense otherwise. That’s why I think Newell is worthy of top 10 consideration and shouldn’t fall out of the lottery. However, he needs to flesh out his ball skills (handling and passing) and make more threes.
Offense:
At his best when he can catch and finish. Has 44 dunks in 23 games. 59.3% of his total possessions end at the basket, where he is converting on 72.8% of his at-rim shots this season.
In the half-court: Slight dip to 65.4% (51/78) at-rim, including 56.9% (29/51) on lay-ups
27 dunk attempts (22 made) vs. 29 made lay-ups in the half-court.
Shooting 17/35 (48.6 FG%) on hook shots.
Twitchy and springy with some signs of strength finishing through defenders. Stays alert to catch and gather drop-offs, jump passes, and short roll passes. At the same time, is sized more like a 4 than a 5 but with a skill-set closer to the latter position.
Plays in a lot of two-big lineups at Georgia. How will his context be different in the NBA?
Great offensive rebounder. Tracks plays from the perimeter, crashes the boards with intent and aggression. Excellent at making multiple efforts with a powerful second jump.
3.3 offensive rebounds per game with a 14.2 OREB%. Definite NBA-level skill for him.
Lots of value in creating second possessions, but can sometimes rush his put-backs in traffic a little bit.
Want to keep seeing more growth and volume in the pick-and-roll. Processing speed when he scans the floor on short rolls needs to eventually be quicker. Can look unsure of what to do when meeting the defense’s backline.
Only plays as a pick-and-roll screener on 15.1% of his possessions (14-for-40 for a 35 FG%, 40.5 TS%).
5/23 pick-and-pop FGAs vs. 9/16 rolling FGAs … wish he’d roll more! Probably will in the NBA…
Almost exclusively been a play finisher, so playmaking barely exists. Has a 0.9 assist-to-turnover ratio. 7.5 AST% and 9.3 TOV% are both low but reflective of role.
Can he make reads on the short roll? Seems like the most important question to me. Has had a handful of flashes seeing over the top of a defense.
Execution on many passing reads remains inconsistent in terms of accuracy, timing, speed. Has 22 assists to 24 turnovers so far…
Making less than 30% of his threes on limited, but okay, volume. Has improved over time, but still has some ways to go. Largely confined to open pick-and-pops and spot-ups. Needs to keep speeding and cleaning up his shot in all aspects.
Making 26.9% of his catch-and-shoot threes (14/52)
Making 25.9% of his total threes (14/54)
Doesn’t take shots from the midrange or off-the-dribble. That’s fine given his role and context, but an important limitation to consider.
Free throw numbers give hope for continual three-point development. Shooting 75 FT% (60/80) while taking 3.5 free throws (would ideally be a bit more as an athletic forward who lives at the rim) per game.
Has shown glimpses attacking off the catch in a straight line… even a handful pushing in the open court… but he’ll have to make his threes in order to attract closeouts/attention. NBA defenses will live with him being open on the perimeter until he proves otherwise.
Defense:
Combination of motor, length, positional athleticism, ground coverage, and production makes him a really appealing defensive prospect. Has the production to back that up as a freshman, as well.
1.1 blocks per game, 1.2 steals per game … 4.3 BLK%, 2.4 STL%
Motor once again really stands out in everything he does. Repeated efforts in the half-court, gets up and down the floor with ease, pursues rebounds to close out possessions, etc…
Tough enough in the post to fight off heavier, taller centers but can give up size. Tracking defensive stats can be wonky, but has held opponents to 6-of-16 shooting on post-ups, per Synergy.
Adds value as a help-side rim protector. This happens most when he plays at the 4, since he can play as the low man or just generally track while not being directly involved. Springy and can time himself. Can still find a better balance between pursuing blocks and staying on his feet, though.
On this end, looks like a better fit at the 4 than at the 5. Tweener questions come up, but in the opposite way than on offense.
Stays out of foul trouble despite some rash, jumpy moments (3.2 fouls per 40 minutes).
Positive signs in space. Has quick, reactive hips. Opens up his body well. Light on his feet for a big body. Remains vertical when backpedaling and contesting shots at the basket.
These physical tools give him real margin for recovery. Can get back into plays with his ground coverage (both going sideways and up).
Athletic margins also show up with how he can jump the passing lanes for steals, although he can gamble and get out of position sometimes. Not uncommon for a 19-y/o freshman who clearly wants to make plays on defense.
How much can he push in a straight line afterward? Definitely capable of creating defensive events, but can he make it a real two-way play? A handful of moments handling in the open court, but not enough to really read into.
Switches and moves his feet on the perimeter. Makes multiple efforts. Projectable on wings (which is already very valuable), but should also be able to switch onto and check guards here and there. Should get stronger, and can get dislodged by bigger bodies right now, but there’s a willingness to play with contact.
There’s bound to be an adjustment curve in the NBA, but he shows real positional potential both protecting the rim and stepping outside the three-point line.
Still has off-ball lapses. Typical for his age, but needs to make sure he stays locked in since he’ll be important being the low man often and also rebounding/boxing out. If he’s engaged, he’s productive.
Some sleepy moments with late reactions or cases of ballwatching. Alternatively, there are also cases of being overly jumpy/eager…
Can he control the glass if/when playing the 5? 13.5 DREB% isn’t high, but offensive rebounding is great. Still an open question since Georgia plays him in two-big lineups often…
Via Synergy
Via Bart Torvik