Asa Newell pick makes Atlanta Hawks NBA Draft first round winners, per ESPN insider Bobby Marks

The first night of the NBA Draft is in the books. That came with some obvious winners and losers, with the Atlanta Hawks and their pick of Asa Newell seemingly one of the most interesting picks in the first round.

In the wake of the first round, ESPN insider Bobby Marks made an appearance on Get Up. There, he explained why Atlanta being able to trade down while still getting Newell made them the winner of Night 1.

“The Atlanta Hawks,” Marks answered when asked who won Day 1. “They were able to move from 13 to 23. They pick up Asa Newell.”

The pick is a good value selection. In mock drafts before night one, Newell was being projected to go Top 20, and the Hawks landed him at 23. Meanwhile, On3’s James Fletcher gave the pick a “B+” grade. However, it’s beyond the pick as to why Marks is so excited about the move. The trade down also nets Atlanta a first round pick next season. In a loaded class, there’s a lot of value to having that additional selection.

“Here’s the big thing where Atlanta really wins at. They pick up a first round pick that’s either going to be New Orleans or Milwaukee in a loaded 2026 draft,” Marks said. “For me, Atlanta was the big winner. Keep an eye on them in free agency.”

Fletcher added a grade attached to the trade as well. That, he’d give a “B-” for the Hawks. This comes after recently also trading for Kristaps Porzingis, which cost Atlanta a first round pick but also netted a second round pick.

As for Newell, the former Georgia Bulldog played one college season before making the jump to the NBA. While in college, he averaged 29 minutes per game. During that time, he averaged 15.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game. He did that while shooting 54.3% from the field, 29.2% from the three-point line, and 74.8% from the free-throw line. Then, on the defensive end, Newell averaged 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.

With Atlanta, Newell is going to hope to develop into a key piece for the Hawks to build around. He has a unique blend of size and athleticism that is going to have fans excited. At the same time, if he’s going to maximize his career, particularly offensively, he’s going to need to improve as a three-point shooter. If the Hawks can use their additional first round pick next season to continue to build around him, it would also help him to develop and take some pressure off.