Matas Buzelis developed into the Chicago Bulls' best frontcourt defender by the end of last season. That could change if the franchise pairs him with Georgia forward Asa Newell, who's an option for Chicago with the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Buzelis led the team in blocks last year with 75 despite not cracking the starting lineup until Feb. 5. Point guard Josh Giddey was third with 45. (Does Nikola Vucevic count at this point?) Statistically, Chicago's next-best big man defender was Jalen Smith.
That's a problem, one that contributed to the Bulls' defense allowing the third-most points in the league and, unsurprisingly, the most points in the paint. Adding some sort of rim protection has to be priority No. 1 for VP of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas this summer.
Newell would help in that department, but he could become much more.
Asa Newell 2025 NBA Draft scouting report
It's worth noting that, in high school, Newell played in a frontcourt that also featured Cooper Flagg and Derik Queen, another big man who will likely end up being a lottery pick on June 25. Until he got to Georgia, Newell was never able to display his full arsenal as a player—although it's not a bad thing that he's already shown a willingness to fit in with a team concept and contribute to winning.
Even with the Bulldogs, Newell was fourth on the team in usage rate, but he still led the team in points per game (15.4), rebounds per game (6.9) and stocks (1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks). He used his natural physical gifts to overwhelm most teams in the SEC as a 19-year-old, which was widely considered the best conference in the country in 2024-25.
Newell measured 6-foot-9 barefoot and 224 pounds at the draft combine with a 6-foot-11 ¼ wingspan and 8-foot-11 ½ standing reach. Those numbers don't do his game justice, however, as he plays like a much taller, longer, more explosive prospect.
Offense
At this point in his development, Newell's much more comfortable and effective near the basket. He's not an explosive athlete, but he moves fluidly and is perhaps best described as springy. When he wants to get up, he gets up high and quick.
That helps him as a very efficient lob threat, and he's an intelligent cutter. When a hole opens up on the weak side of the floor, Newell makes the right read and often exploits it for an easy basket.
That same level of bounciness and sneaky length makes him a high-level offensive rebounder. Of Newell's 6.9 rebounds per game, nearly half (3.3) came on the offensive glass. He actually had a higher offensive rebound rate (13.9 percent) than defensive rebound rate (13.5) and total rebound rate (13.7) during his lone collegiate campaign.
Those springy legs and smooth athleticism make Newell a real threat in transition. He can get up and down the floor with ease and maintains his interior dominance as a lob threat. He runs straight to the rim and makes himself available for interior passes, and when teammates stop and pop on the fastbreak, he's ready to hit the offensive glass and create easy scoring chances for himself or extra possessions for his team.
The lefty showed some skill scoring on the block with hook shots, floaters and short fadeaways, but the real swing skill that would move Newell from a solid starter to a potential All-Star is his jumper. It's smooth and aesthetically pleasing. He shot 74.8 percent from the free-throw line, which is promising.
He only shot 29.2 percent from deep, but did make almost one three per game.
Defense
The bouncy athleticism that Newell uses so efficiently near the rim on offense serves him well defensively. His quick first and second jumps not only made him a rim deterrent with Georgia but also a legitimate shot-blocking threat. He's a highly vertical player; when he leaps for a block, his arms go straight up with him, making him seem longer than he actually is.
The most alluring thing about Newell as a prospect is his ability to switch defensively at his size. He's big enough to legitimately play power forward at the pro level, but also has the side-to-side agility to shuffle and stay in front of smaller players.
Newell's college tape is littered with clips in which he switches three or sometimes four times in a single possession.
Asa Newell's fit with the Chicago Bulls
Newell is a realistic option for Chicago at No. 12. He's sat between 10 and 20 on most big boards and mock drafts throughout the entire process, and the Bulls could no doubt use someone with his kind of defensive versatility. Being able to switch when offenses try to exploit Josh Giddey or Coby White in one-on-one situations would go a long way toward improving the team's defense.
Newell and Buzelis, who's still only 20, would be an intriguing pair to develop if they're given enough time to grow together. Buzelis is an elite athlete who got smarter and helped cover for the Bulls' defensive shortcomings by the end of last season. Newell's similar size and switchability would allow Chicago to hand opposing offenses multiple looks.
Until Buzelis gets stronger, it could only come in short bursts, but running out a small-ball lineup with Newell and Buzelis at the four and five would give Chicago an athletic and versatile frontcourt. The pair could vacillate between both positions on either end of the floor, and both can cover as high-level shot blockers from the weak side.
Newell may not be the sexiest pick the Bulls could make on draft night, but he would undoubtedly improve their greatest weakness.
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