Asa Newell Got Cut — So Why Is He Still the Hottest Prospect in the NBA Draft?

He Got Cut. But He Still Owns the Block.

I watched Asa Newell drop in at George Washington’s gym last winter — same court where my uncle taught me how to pivot and finish with both hands. He’s 6’9”, 224 lbs, moves like a guard, shoots like a forward, and blocks like a beast. Scouts said he was ‘too slow,’ ‘too thin,’ ‘too one-dimensional.’ They called him a project… then moved on.

But here’s what they missed: when he gets that put-back in the paint? It ain’t about size — it’s about smell. The way he reads the floor before anyone else even breathes. That rebound? It ain’t luck — it’s muscle memory from playing five-on-five barefoot since third grade.

The Three-Point Lie

His three-point percentage? 29.2%. Two shots per game. That’s not ‘bad.’ That’s a waiting game. Every time he steps back, defenders lean in… because they don’t know if he’ll rise next season or if his shot snaps into rhythm.

I’ve seen kids from Humboldt Park who thought they could shoot threes and be stars — until their elbows broke under pressure.

Why Barchley Failed Too

Barchley was pick #2 — all the tools, no heartbreaks… but still couldn’t make it happen inside NBA gyms. Big body? Check. Outside shot? Not consistent enough.

Asa doesn’t need to be Barchley 2.0. He just needs to get thicker… hit more threes… and stop believing them when they doubt him.

If you grew up where the ball is life… you know: talent don’t get drafted. Love does.