Where Asa Newell is going in mock drafts after the lottery
Former Georgia Bulldogs star power forward Asa Newell has been mocked as a first round pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Newell's projecting landing spot shifts from the top 10 to middle of the first.
Now that the NBA lottery has officially taken place, certain fits for Newell have emerged. Draft experts have attempted to predict where Newell will go based on positional need and scheme fit.
Advertisement
The 6-foot-11, 220-pound forward offers rim protection, the ability to switch on to smaller players defensively, an array of post moves, excellent athleticism and has shooting upside. Newell is a lob threat and strong dunker. He helped Georgia make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade.
Here is where Newell is going in mock drafts after the lottery.
ESPN: 21st overall pick, Utah Jazz (via Minnesota Timberwolves)
WICHITA, KANSAS - MARCH 20: Graham Ike #13 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts as he defends against Asa Newell #14 of the Georgia Bulldogs during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Arena on March 20, 2025 in Wichita, Kansas.
The Jazz acquired this pick for trading away Rudy Gobert and now they get a potential replacement at the four or five. Utah has found great value through picks outside of the lottery, such as Kyle Filipowski and Isaiah Collier.
Advertisement
They could get the same with Newell, a high-ceiling player who has all the measurables to be an elite offensive talent. He may be more of a power forward with those measurables, but if he can shoot the three-ball at an efficient rate, a role for him as stretch big isn't out of the question.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo made the mock draft.
Yahoo: 18th pick, Washington Wizards
Mar 20, 2025; Wichita, KS, USA; Georgia Bulldogs forward Jaden Newell (24) and forward Asa Newell (14) in the second half of a first round men's NCAA Tournament game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Intrust Bank Arena.
Similar to the Jazz, the Wizards acquired this pick via trade from the Memphis Grizzlies. Also, similar to this pick, the Wizards have plenty of minutes for young talent like Newell to develop. More than likely, Alex Sarr is the center of the future in Washington, but Newell could be a nice foil to him if Newell can develop his offensive game. His high energy game could be a boost for the Wizard's backcourt defense.
Advertisement
Yahoo's Kevin O'Connor mocked this selection.
CBS: Orlando Magic, 25th pick
Feb 25, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs forward Asa Newell (14) gets fouled by Florida Gators forward Alex Condon (21) late in the game during the second half at Stegeman Coliseum.
Unlike both the Wizards and Jazz, who had the two worst records in the league, the Orlando Magic were a playoff team that could've been a title contender with better injury luck and three point shooting. The Magic also lack in backcourt depth and Newell could immediately qualify for starting minutes if he beats out Wendell Carter Jr. in the frontcourt. Even then, the Magic don't have many forwards on the bench, and Newell's shot blocking and high energy can keep him on the floor for longer.
CBS's Kyle Boone made this pick in his mock draft.
This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Where Georgia PF Asa Newell is going in post-lottery mock drafts
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
5-star LB Tyler Atkinson taking Georgia official visit
5-star LB Tyler Atkinson taking Georgia official visit The Georgia Bulldogs are preparing for another significant official visit weekend and while the number of visitors might be lower, Athens is set to host several elite recruits. Among them is five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson. Atkinson is a familiar face in Athens, having visited Georgia multiple times for camps and prior visits. The Bulldogs have been actively recruiting him for years, using these in-person opportunities to sway Atkinson to come play between the hedges. Georgia has been the well-known leader for Atkinson and many people look at him as a potential future Butkus Award winner for the Bulldogs if he joins the program. Georgia has made Atkinson a top priority throughout his time during high school and needs to land a top an in-state prospect like him. This official visit will go a long way in determining if the Bulldogs can land Atkinson and keep him home from the other contenders. The five-star class of 2026 prospect went on official visits to Oregon and Clemson already and both teams are making a strong push for Atkinson. The Bulldogs also are after five-star wide receiver Cederian Morgan. They already have a commitment from five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, who is the only five-star in Georgia's fifth-ranked recruiting class. Ranked as the nation's No. 8 overall recruit by the On3 Industry Rankings, Atkinson is one of the best players in the nation. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound linebacker had a dominant junior year. He led Grayson to a 14-1 record and a Georgia AAAAAA state championship, racking up 166 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. 247Sports projects that Atkinson will commit to Georgia football.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
USC star Ethan Hedges named second-team All-American by Perfect Game USA
USC star Ethan Hedges named second-team All-American by Perfect Game USA After a remarkable season, USC baseball star Ethan Hedges is officially an All-American. On Wednesday, Hedges earned second-team All-American honors from Perfect Game USA. Hedges excelled on both sides of the ball this season. As the Trojans' starting third baseman, he led the team with a .346 batting average, 1.081 OPS, 80 hits, 58 RBIs, and 14 home runs. In addition, he pitched for the first time since he was in high school, serving as the Trojans' closer. In 15 appearances, he posted a 2.40 ERA, going 2-1 with nine saves. Hedges becomes USC's first All-American since Ben Wanger during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He is the first Trojan to earn such honors in a full season since Chris Clarke in 2019. Thanks largely to Hedges' incredible season, USC qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. The Trojans made it to the final of the Corvallis Regional, where they fell to Oregon State. At this point, it is still unknown whether or not Hedges will be back at USC next year. After a season as strong as his, Hedges has a very good chance to hear his name called in July's MLB Draft. If he does return to the Trojans in 2026, however, Hedges should enter the season as one of the top players in the country, with a chance to accomplish even bigger things than he did this season.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Transfer portal targets for the Oklahoma Sooners
Transfer portal targets for the Oklahoma Sooners The Oklahoma Sooners have already made a splash in the softball transfer portal with the addition of former LSU pitcher Sydney Berzon. Berzon gives the Sooners a frontline pitcher to deploy in the circle after the departure of Sam Landry. The Sooners have a young, talented team, and Patty Gasso mentioned striking a balance between adding talent in the transfer portal and not recruiting over some of the young talent on the roster. At the same time, OU may add one or two more pieces to a team that contended for the national title in 2025. The Sooners don't have a lot of needs with a stacked roster coming back, but if Gasso and her staff were interested in making another move or two, here are three players that could be of interest. Maya Johnson, P - Belmont If Fisher isn't in the cards, the Oklahoma Sooners could go back to the mid-major ranks, a strategy that landed OU Hope Trautwein and Sam Landry in recent years. Johnson was 24-6 with a 1.52 ERA in 2025. She recorded 366 (!!!) strikeouts in 207 innings and allowed just 22 walks for a Belmont team that made the NCAA tournament. No other pitcher on Belmont's staff threw more than 62 innings last season. Johnson was key in the Bruins Missouri Valley Conference tournament title, which secured Belmont a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Though she was roughed up by a good Virginia Tech lineup for five runs in two different outings, she performed well earlier in the year against power competition. In a game against Arizona State, Johnson threw eight innings and recorded 12 strikeouts, allowing just two hits and an earned run. Johnson would have just one year of eligibility remaining but has some intriguing tools for Gasso and Jennifer Rocha to work with. Grace Jenkins, C - UConn If the Oklahoma Sooners are looking for more production from the catcher spot, there are a couple of players that make sense. Grace Jenkins, the former catcher from UConn hit .424 last season with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs. She had a slugging percentage of .906 and an on-base percentage of .906. In the NCAA Tournament, Jenkins recorded two walks vs. Nebraska and went 1-for-2 vs. new Oklahoma pitcher Sydney Berzon. Jenkins was the Big East Player of the Year in 2025 and would be an asset in anyone's lineup. Brooke Wells, C - Houston Another catcher option is Houston's Brooke Wells. Though Houston finished last in the Big 12, Wells led the Cougars in home runs, RBIs, walks, batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. She hit .341 with 10 HR, 47 RBIs and 35 walks. On the season, she recorded a .645 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .478. Wells was just a true freshman in 2025 and would have three more years of eligibility. Does Oklahoma Need to Do Anything Else? To keep it short. Not really. The Sooners are bringing in the No. 1 pitcher (Allyssa Parker), the No. 5 pitcher (Berkley Zache) and the No. 1 catcher (Kendall Wells) in the 2025 recruiting class. They also have Audrey Lowry and Sophia Bordi (presuming she's coming back for 2025-2026) waiting to take on a bigger role in the circle. At catcher, Riley Zache is also coming back. She was 2-for-4 with an RBI and appeared in nine games this season. The Sooners won't be devoid of talent. Though the Sooners will still be young, everyone will be a year older. That was a team that was just a few plays away from getting back to the championship series of the WCWS. If any school can afford to trust their evaluations and let that talent compete for opportunities, it's Oklahoma. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
