The 2025 NBA Draft is less than a month away and teams are continuing to do their research on who could end up being the next face of their franchise.
Of course, the Dallas Mavericks lucked out in the draft lottery by winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes but with the 2025 class being deep, other teams are trying to find their next great player.
One player who impressed during his freshman season at Georgia is Asa Newell, a 6-11 forward.
Asa Newell
Georgia Bulldogs forward Asa Newell (14) reacts after making a three point shot against the Auburn Tigers at Stegeman Coliseum.
Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Newell is projected to be a top-20 selection in the upcoming draft after he showed out at the NBA Draft Combine and he recently sat down with ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel for an interview.
In the interview, Newell revealed that he has been studying Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. and also Aaron Gordon of the Denver Nuggets.
“I’ve been studying a lot of Jaren Jackson Jr. On defense, he was switching onto different guards and blocking shots, which is where I can see myself making an impact as a rookie,” Newell said. “Aaron Gordon is another player I’ve been studying.”
It is clear that Newell is studying both players to help him improve defensively, which is what both players are known for.
Of course, Jackson Jr. was the 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year while Gordon has been arguably the best defender in Denver since he arrived there.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32)
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32)
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
In his freshman season at Georgia, Newell averaged 15.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 54.3% from the field and 29.2% from three.
Newell is already a solid defender coming out of college but if he can continue to improve defensively, along with improving his three-point shooting, he could turn into one of the steals of the draft and he is doing his best to get better by studying two of the league’s best defenders.