The San Antonio Spurs have a pair of lottery picks to play with in the upcoming NBA Draft: No. 2 and No. 14 overall. The second overall pick is going to be an upper-echelon prospect, somebody who is both NBA-ready and has a sky-high ceiling, someone like Rutgers guard Dylan Harper.
The No. 14 overall selection gives the Spurs a chance to take a big swing on a player. One intriguing forward mocked at the back end of the lottery is freshman Georgia forward Asa Newell.
Newell's basketball journey has been intriguing. Newell was never truly "the guy" in high school, being overshadowed by his older brother for his first two seasons, and then playing second and even third fiddle to Cooper Flagg and Derik Queen at Monteverde Academy.
Even at Georgia, where he was their leading scorer, Newell didn't have the ball in his hands as much as his 15.4 points per game would suggest. A lot of Newell's production has come from playing off the ball, but that didn't stop him from being a scoring machine in college.
Newell shot 54.3 percent from the field and over 70 percent at the rim. He's a dynamic cutter who moves with quick, darting actions towards the rim. Newell has also thrived as a post-up player, showcasing a variety of moves that create advantages, even over stronger defenders.
Perhaps his great strength offensively is his value on the offensive glass, especially with putbacks. Newell is one of the best players in the country when it comes to putbacks, either slamming them down and getting the crowd on their feet, or tipping the ball softly into the rim. Newell averaged 3.3 offensive rebounds per game in his sole season at Georgia. Newell was second in the SEC and 20th in the NCAA in offensive rebounds this season.
Newell also thrives in transition. He's a great, smooth-moving athlete despite his 6-foot-10 frame. He has a great eye for where to fill the lanes in transition.
Newell's outside game shows some potential, but it needs a lot of work. Newell shot just 29.2 percent from three. He has a decent touch and shot 74.8 percent from the free throw line. Newell isn't much of a playmaker, and that really gets exposed in the pick-and-roll game. When he catches the ball on the short roll and finds himself outside the restricted area, he can look like a deer in headlights.
Being able to make a play, either as a passer or by putting the ball on the floor, is necessary to be a high-usage pick-and-roll threat. That's the difference between what someone like Isiah Hartenstein gives you compared to Daniel Gafford.
Newell has shown the ability to put the ball on the floor and get by defenders, both from the perimeter and as a face-up player in the post game.
Defensively, Newell has a lot of potential. He plays very well in space for a four, thanks to his athleticism and quick feet. Newell demonstrates good instincts in the passing lanes and as a weak-side help defender. Newell has shown the ability to switch onto guards and hold his own. If you were to ask for a physical build to craft an elite defender at the next level, Newell's physical traits wouldn't be far off.
Newell will need to bulk up at the next level, and his frame suggests he can do so without losing any of his explosiveness. Adding weight will help him on both sides, making his post-up game viable in the pros and helping him make stops against NBA athletes.
Offensively, he can plug-and-play into most offenses. He has an Obi Toppin-esque feel to his offensive game, where he can fly up, down, and around the court to open up opportunities for himself without ever touching the basketball. He's definitely got some more juice in the post than Toppin, and if he can develop the outside jumper, he can develop into a fixture in any NBA rotation.