Atlanta may have struck gold in the back-half of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Not that many outside the organization are too aware of it, but they should be soon, as long as Asa Newell receives the playing time he deserves.
If everything goes according to plan, he'll likely begin the season in the nighty rotation - a big jump from where he was entering his rookie campaign.
His first NBA season didn't end exactly how he imagined, falling out of the rotation as the staff prioritized postseason experience, but that didn't stop him from taking away something valuable from its up-and-down conclusion.
Luckily for Newell, limited playoff experience is still playoff experience
It's impossible to know what playing in a postseason-level environment is like without actually doing it. Watching on television or attending a game as a fan simply won't do it justice.
Even though it was in very limited minutes when certain games got out of hand, Newell saw the floor in a series against the eventual-champions. That's not nothing. He detailed some of the experience during his availability at this year's media day:
"It was great, year one, being in the playoffs. That just set the standard. It's going to set the standard for this organization ... trying to make the playoffs every year."
Talked to Asa about reaching the postseason in his rookie year, regardless of role
— Zach Langley (@ZachLangleyNBA) September 28, 2026
He mentioned how it quickly "set the standard" for what he should grow to expect
Said the extreme physicality gave him something to learn from
Newell continued, "Being in the environment of [State Farm Arena], being in the environment in New York, going against the Knicks, I just took a lot. It's extremely physical."
At the very least, his small taste of playoff ball was much more than many of his draft mates.
People often forget that Newell - following a productive freshman season with the Georgia Bulldogs - was expected to be a late-lottery selection for much of the pre-draft process.
Before Atlanta traded down, they had narrowed down their prospect list, with Newell as an original priority. They ultimately traded down, still being able to land one of their top targets. Now with some rookie postseason experience under his belt, he's set for a year two breakout.
The organization believes in Newell's growth as a player
Despite all of the roster turnover and his inconsistent role that came as a result of it, the rookie forward made the most of his first NBA season, displaying enough to warrant excitement for his next time out.
If he locks down a permanent spot in the nightly rotation, the sky's the limit for what he can do in his second season.
The Hawks really could be an Asa Newell breakout away from jumping into contention.
No pressure or anything...
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