Justin Newell

Son of God. Carmen’s Husband. Jaden, Asa and Zoe’s Dad.

[Jackson Caudell @jacksoncaudell]

Asa Newell spoke with us ahead of Summer League today.

Talked about his impression of the rookies, working on his defense and more:

[BRANDON - HAWKS HOMECOURT 🏀📺 @Hawks_HomeCourt]

Asa Newell Atlanta Hawks Rookie Season

• NBA Rookie Season (Atlanta Hawks): In 44 games (2 GS, 11.4 MPG), dropped 5.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG on 53.8% FG (2.1/3.8), 38.7% 3P (0.7/1.7), 55.2% FT.

• Advanced Metrics: eFG% 62.4, PER 14.2, WS 1.2, plus positive Box Plus/Minus — driven by elite finishing at the rim and rebounding instincts despite limited minutes.

• G League Dominance with College Park Skyhawks (2025-26): In 15 games (high minutes ~32-33 MPG), Asa balled out averaging 22.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.5 BPG while shooting 56.7% FG (multiple 20+ point games, including a 29 PTS / 12 REB / 7 AST explosion and a 36-point outburst).

• Elite Efficiency & Versatility: Showed serious scoring touch inside and out, strong rebounding, and rim protection — proving he’s ready for bigger NBA roles with high-volume production and positive impact.

#TrueToAtlanta

[Justin Newell @cfsavior]

Long productive career of achievements!

[Atlanta Hawks @ATLHawks]

Just the beginning for Asa 📈

[Justin Newell @cfsavior]

MIP Loading……

[BRANDON - HAWKS HOMECOURT 🏀📺 @Hawks_HomeCourt]

Asa Newell & his pathway to MIP.

(ATL, 6-9 2025 #23 pick via NOP trade) posted a quietly efficient but role-constrained rookie campaign in 2025-26.

In 44 games (2 GS, 11.4 MPG), he averaged 5.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG on 53.8% FG (2.1/3.8), 38.7% 3P (0.7/1.7), 55.2% FT. Advanced metrics included eFG% 62.4, PER 14.2, WS 1.2, and positive Box Plus/Minus components driven by finishing and rebounding.

Technical Strengths vs. 2025 Rookie Class

Newell stood out in efficiency and per-minute impact among a loaded class headlined by Cooper Flagg (ROY, ~21/6.7/4.5), Kon Knueppel, VJ Edgecombe, Dylan Harper, etc., who logged heavy starter minutes.
• True finishing/rim protection profile: Elite touch around the basket and second-jump athleticism yielded high eFG% and strong ORB% (~9-11% range per advanced splits). He ranked among the better rookie bigs in paint efficiency and offensive rebounding rates, flashing lob threat/putback ability reminiscent of a compact, lefty Millsap/Reed archetype.
• Stretch development: 38.7% on low-volume 3s (with solid mechanics and touch) showed promise beyond his college 29% mark, boosting spacing value in limited bench stints.
• Defensive versatility: Switchable 4/5 potential with length, anticipation, and hustle (STL% + BLK% contributions) translated to positive on-ball and help impacts in small samples—better per-minute disruption than many volume rookies struggling with efficiency.
• Per-possession edge: Hollinger and BPM-derived metrics highlighted strong TS% and low-TO efficiency in spot minutes, outpacing raw stat leaders burdened by usage/turnover issues. Many top rookies posted high-volume but lower-efficiency lines; Newell delivered “plug-and-play” production with minimal negative impact.
Limitations: Low usage/volume in a crowded ATL frontcourt (behind Okongwu, Porzingis, Johnson, etc.) capped raw output and playing time, with FT% and defensive rebounding as clear growth areas.

MIP Pathway for 2026-27
Newell’s trajectory relies heavily on expanded role + skill refinement (e.g., improved 3PT volume/consistency, better FT%, playmaking reads). Key levers:

• Minute/usage ramp: Target 20+ MPG via injury insurance, frontcourt minutes, or lineup flexibility. Hawks’ timeline favors development; G League dominance (e.g., 20+ PPG, double-doubles) signals readiness.

• Shooting/scoring scalability: Push 3PT attempts to 3-4/game at 38-42% while tightening FTs. Mid-range/turnaround polish + transition athleticism could yield 12-15 PPG efficiency.

• Rebounding + defense two-way impact: Elite ORB% + switchability → starter-level rebound rates (7-8 RPG) and defensive versatility. Positive RAPTOR/BPM upside if he sustains hustle metrics at higher volume.

• Holistic profile: Low turnover, high motor, and positional size/skill suggest breakout potential similar to past MIPs who added perimeter game without sacrificing paint dominance. PER/WS growth to 16-18+ with doubled minutes is realistic.

Verdict: Solid foundation as a high-efficiency rookie specialist; MIP case hinges on opportunity + incremental skill jumps in year two. A classic “bet on the process” prospect with All-Star upside if the Hawks clear the runway.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

#TrueToAtlanta

[Justin Newell @cfsavior]

@Hawks_HomeCourt @ATLHawks Asa Newell

[Lee Nimnicht Jr @leenimnichtjr]

BREAKING: Jacksonville has officially landed Georgia transfer Jaden Newell @JadenNewell0, per his Instagram.

The 6'8 forward spent four years at the University of Georgia. Brother of Hawks first round pick Asa Newell.

Looks like ASUN-Preseason favorites 👀⁉️

[Big Boi @BigBoi]

ATL HOE 🛸

[Justin Newell @cfsavior]

@KLChouinard Great press Kev!

[Justin Newell @cfsavior]

@KLChouinard Great press Kev!

[Justin Newell @cfsavior]

@JoySimonton Thank you

[Leigh Ellis @LeighEllis]

Very cool moment when Hawks rookie Asa Newell earned the respect of Kevin Durant during this exchange at the Hawks/Rockets game. 🤝

[Grant Shirley @Grant_Shirley4]

Asa Newell is shooting 41.2% from 3 across all games he has played for the Hawks since being drafted (SL, Preseason, Reg Season, G League)

47 makes out of 114 attempts

Was the one skill coming out of college that he HAD to have in order to make it in the league with his archetype, and the early returns look good as the sample size continues to grow

[BRANDON - HAWKS HOMECOURT 🏀📺 @Hawks_HomeCourt]

ASA NEWELL 🆚 SOUTHBAY LAKERS

26 PTS
6 REB
3 BLK
10/17 FG
4/8 3PT

ASA NEWELL 🆚 WISCONSIN HERD😬

29 PTS
12 REB
7 AST
10/20 FG
3/9 3PT
3 STL
3 BLK

#TrueToAtlanta

[Justin Newell @cfsavior]

@ATLHawks @GeorgiasOwn Some of those are born in 2005 answers!

[NBA G League @nbagleague]

29 PTS 💥 12 REB 💥 7 AST 💥 3 STL 💥 3 BLK

2025 NBA first round pick Asa Newell BALLED OUT tonight! The @atlhawks rookie posted career-highs across the board for the @cpskyhawks.

[Justin Newell @cfsavior]

@TheAthletic

[Atlanta Hawks @ATLHawks]

Impressive work from the rookie last night 🐶

13 PTS
3 3PM
7 REB | 2 STL | 1 BLK

@NewellAsa x @UPS

[Dray Mottishaw @draymottishaw]

In his limited minutes, Asa Newell has been kind of awesome for a rookie. After watching him play in FIBA (2022 U17 & 2023 U19), for Montverde, and over at Georgia, we had a pretty decent understanding of who he was as a player. Though getting compared to Marvin Bagley for most of the draft cycle, Asa's playstyle was actually conducive to winning basketball due to his scabale traits outside of his developing shot — which is currently at 52% for the year on 25 attempts (75% FT).

One of Asa's traits is that he can move well laterally on defense and has the footspeed to keep up with some guards. Being a potential, and likely, multi-positional defender in the league brings a lot of value to who he is as a player and a large reason why I compared him to not only Toumani Camara, but Al Horford.

With him being a positive impact on the court, mainly on defense (but was a net positive on O before last night's game), I don't see a reason why Asa should't be getting run — I guess that's why he hasn't been sent to the G-League either, even on a team over a .500 record.

Another reason why I adored Asa out of Georgia was his offensive rebounding. He currently leads the Atlanta Hawks in OReb per 36 minutes, and for a team that is ranked 23rd in the league in offensive rebounds and 20th in 2nd chance points, I believe that Asa could be a help out in that department.

He has proven he can scale down on offense by being an efficient spot-up shooter, where he is in the 89th percentile in points per possession.

I believe that Atlanta not only has a good player in Asa, but an impactful one who won't take away from the players who demand higher usage. GET ON THE A TRAIN!

[Georgia Basketball @UGABasketball]

Dawg Nation, you heard him🚨
We’ll see you Saturday at State Farm Arena‼️

🎟️Hoopsgiving tickets start as low as $50. Buy now : https://t.co/EGwudsUydC

#GoDawgs

[Atlanta Hawks @ATLHawks]

We outchea in the desert 🌵