ATHENS, Ga. — Asa Newell will remain in Georgia to begin his NBA career. Newell was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the No. 23 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night, and then traded to the Atlanta Hawks.

Atlanta and New Orleans swapped the rights to Newell and Derik Queen, who was selected No. 13 by the Hawks.

Newell is the 40th Bulldog to selected in the NBA Draft and the ninth first-round pick, joining Anthony Edwards (No. 1 in 2020), Dominique Wilkins (No. 3 in 1982), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (No. 8 in 2013), Willie Anderson (No. 10 in 1988), Jarvis Hayes (No. 10 in 2003), Alec Kessler (No. 12 in 1990), Vern Fleming (No. 18 in 1984) and Jumaine Jones (No. 27 in 1999).

Ironically, one of the Hawks’ greatest players ever also was a Georgia standout traded to Atlanta after the Draft. In 1982, Wilkins was taken with the No. 3 pick by the Utah Jazz but later traded to the Hawks before his rookie season.

Newell enjoyed a standout campaign in his season with the Bulldogs, leading Georgia to its first NCAA Tournament bid in a decade. He was named second-team Freshman All-America by Andy Katz for @NCAAMarchMadnessMBB and was voted to the SEC’s All-Freshman team by league coaches. Newell was named SEC Freshman of the Week four times – on Nov. 18, Dec. 9, Jan. 13 and Feb. 10 – to match Anthony Edwards’ record for most SEC Freshman of the Week honors by a Bulldog.

Newell averaged 15.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, becoming the first freshman to lead the Bulldogs in both scoring and rebounding in more than a quarter century (since Jumaine Jones in 1997-98). Among SEC statistical leaders, he finished the season ranked No. 14 in scoring (15.4 ppg), No. 9 in rebounding (6.9 rpg), No. 3 in field goal percentage (.543), No. 2 in offensive rebounding (3.3 orpg) and fifth in double-doubles (seven). Nationally, Newell ranked No. 50 overall and No. 3 among freshmen in field goal percentage.

Newell’s association with the University of Georgia goes much deeper than his one season with the Bulldogs. Born in Atlanta, Newell lived in Jefferson and Athens for the first 10 years of his life. Both his maternal grandmother, Jacqueline Mitchell, and paternal great-grandmother, Ellie Davis, worked on campus. Mitchell was on the staff in the President’s Office, while Davis at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Newell attended the McPhaul Center, UGA’s child development lab located across the street from Stegeman Coliseum, and also took piano, swimming and drama lessons on campus.