A truly versatile forward has joined an ensemble of talented players to make this Atlanta Hawks frontcourt deeper and more dynamic than before, and his name is Asa Newell. Newell was selected 23rd overall after Atlanta traded back to draft the forward out of the University of Georgia. The former 5-star averaged 15.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game. It was clear throughout the entire college basketball season that the six-foot-nine stretch big was capable of producing on both ends of the court.
Georgia made the NCAA tournament for the first time in 10 years, taking on Tennessee Tech, and Asa’s breakout season was one of the major reasons why. It was evident that he was a player who could play when the lights were brightest.
The front office of the Atlanta Hawks saw the way that Newell was able to impact the game, and he quickly became their guy. Onsi Saleh selected the skilled big man by trading back in the draft and also acquiring a future first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans that could prove to be highly valuable at the end of the season based on the win predictions below.
The one challenge that could prevent Asa from seeing consistent minutes is the crowded front court. With the acquisition of Kristaps Porziņġis paired with already established Onyeka Okongwu, playing time at the center position might be limited. Asa does see himself as more of a power forward anyway, but he’s made it known he wants to contribute in whatever way that he can.
I asked Asa Newell if he views himself as more of a power forward or center long-term:
That brings us to the forwards. Asa Newell will be competing with Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, and potentially even Mouhamed Gueye for minutes. This doesn’t even include the possibility of Coach Quin Snyder running three-guard lineups, which he seemed to do during the first preseason game.
Hawks fans shouldn’t be surprised if we don’t see Asa Newell much early in the season, except in blowouts (which will be fun for many reasons). However, if there are injuries or if Newell really impresses in practice, we could be seeing him a lot sooner than expected.
You can never have too many skilled forwards. Asa Newell has the tools to contribute now and will be a major part of Atlanta Hawks basketball in the future.
