The Atlanta Hawks made not one but two trades before making their first pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, one before the event even began. Their pick, Asa Newell of Georgia, selected for Atlanta by the New Orleans Pelicans, made their previous two moves look even better.
Given his close proximity, it is easy to see why the Hawks felt like Newell was a good fit for them.
Getting him at No. 23 makes him an absolute steal.
“Newell has springs in his legs, regularly slamming lobs and swatting shots,” Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor wrote on June 12. “Even though his discipline reflects his youth, his energetic style suggests he'll someday become a highly versatile defender.”
The Hawks have certainly been lacking explosive athleticism in their frontcourt, with John Collins traded to the Utah Jazz and Clint Capela on the backside of his career.
Newell averaged 15.4 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Bulldogs last season.
Notably, speculation began to swirl on draft day, linking the Hawks to Newell. However, speculation revolved around the 13th pick. Instead, the Hawks get a player who fitted with being a lottery pick near the back of the round.
That is good, because there are certainly questions about Newell and how his game will transfer to the next level.
The Atlanta Hawks have selected Asa Newell with the No. 23 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, a pick acquired from the Pelicans. pic.twitter.com/mjRGzOMXrW
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 26, 2025
Hawks face key question about Asa Newell pick
“Newell’s biggest draft question is what, exactly, is he? He’s … doesn’t have the rim protection or rebounding numbers (just a 14.0 percent rebound rate in SEC games) of a true center. He also doesn’t pop off the floor as a rim runner; you’d call him more ‘fluid’ than ‘explosive,’ The Athletic’s John Hollinger wrote on June 25. “On the other hand, the lefty shows some perimeter skill. He isn’t yet a money 3-point shooter (29.2 percent) or a guy who is comfortable taking more than a couple dribbles, but watching him before Georgia games, the stroke is repeatable and likely to improve as it becomes a bigger part of his game.
“That said, his tape guarding the perimeter is pretty good, and Georgia used him mostly as a power forward in his freshman season. I think that’s his best position, especially as he develops stretch capability.”
The Hawks have dealt with injuries to their frontourt, and they are set to lose valueable depth, too. Newell could carve out a bigger role early on than it would seem on paper.
The Hawks do not own a second-round pick, but they could always trade for one.
As it stands, Newell is the lone prospect of general manager Onsi Saleh’s first class. So far, so good, but there is a lot of offseason left to go and plenty of intrigue about which the direction the Hawks may ultimately go.