NBA Draft: Georgia's Freshmen Bigs Impress In Exhibition

Freshmen big men Asa Newell and Somto Cyril had eye-catching debuts for the Bulldogs in an 86-to-59 victory over Charlotte in Saturday's exhibition

Oct 15, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mike White talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

On Saturday, Oct. 19, the Georgia Bulldogs played their first exhibition game of the 2025 season against Charlotte. The Bulldogs came away with an 86-to-59 victory, getting standout debuts from their freshman big men, Asa Newell and Somto Cyril.

These two players impact the game in different ways but will both be monitored throughout the season as potential first-round-level talents who could make quick impacts for NBA teams. This exhibition offered great insights into how they could be effective in the upcoming season, but only time will tell just how productive they will be, as preseason games are not always the best indicators of regular-season roles. This article will look back at Newell and Cyril’s debuts while breaking down how they made their impacts felt and offering positive outlooks on their long-term potential.

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Asa Newell | Forward | 6-foot-11 | 220 lbs

Asa Newell of Montverde Academy dunks against Paul VI at the City of Palms Classic on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers. / Amanda Inscore/The News-Press USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK

Asa Newell has been an easy prospect to monitor throughout high school, as he served a major role for Montverde alongside other standout prospects like Cooper Flagg and Derik Queen. He enters the year as Georgia’s highest-rated recruit since Anthony Edwards in 2019 and showcased what makes him so special in his first in-game action. Newell finished the game with 20 points and five rebounds while displaying elite end-to-end speed and play-finishing around the rim.

Newell is a very solid athlete for his size and demonstrated this by elevating above the rim on defense to regularly contest shots in the interior and running the floor in transition. While he did struggle with foul trouble, finishing the game with four personal fouls, his willingness to meet opponents at the rim vertically was impressive. He did not record a block in this exhibition, but the vertical pop and long reach he displayed suggest that these numbers will increase throughout the season. Newell scored efficiently, shooting an eye-catching 90% from the field on 9-of-10 shooting, but primarily served as a play-finisher in his debut. He did not show much of his jump shooting or self-creation upside, but this should become more evident as he progresses throughout the year.

He has a chance to climb into the top ten prospects in the 2025 NBA draft, as this level of activity and fluidity can be difficult to find in freshman bigs. He seems to be set up for success during his first NCAA season, but as mentioned, exhibition games typically do not offer a perfect look at what the season could have in store for players.

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Somto Cyril | Center | 6-foot-11 | 260 lbs

Jan 13, 2018; Athens, GA, USA; A general view of the game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Georgia Bulldogs during the first half at Stegeman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Somto Cyril enters the year as a four-star recruit who impressed last season while playing in the Overtime Elite league. He was one of the most productive interior players last season, averaging just over 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks per game. In his debut for the Bulldogs, Cyril seemed ready to carry this interior impact into the SEC after a dominant showing against Charlotte. Cyril finished his debut with a team-leading seven rebounds and three blocks while looking like a great fit next to Newell on the interior.

Cyril is commonly referred to as “Baby Shaq” and showcased why he earned this nickname in Saturday’s exhibition. He is extremely intriguing due to his combination of size, strength and athleticism, which are hard to miss on both ends of the floor. While playing for Overtime Elite, Cyril regularly pinned opponents’ shots on the glass and elevated for massive dunks off two feet. He is a more raw prospect than Newell at this point, but the long-term upside does not seem too far behind.

One question that should be answered relatively quickly into the season is how often he will play alongside Newell. Newell seems to have already solidified himself as a key piece of this team moving forward, and if the floor spacing becomes more evident, Cyril could be a perfect fit next to him. Having two athletic shot-blockers on the floor together can be very effective in the college game and could quickly raise Cyril’s draft stock, as Newell will more than likely gain the majority of attention on both ends of the floor.

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