NBA Mock Draft: Raptors Land Talented SEC Forward

The Toronto Raptors offer one of the more unique teams in the entire league.
At 14-32, they currently own the sixth-worst record in the league, and are cruising towards one of the better pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, despite a plethora of win-now talent. Typically, their draft odds would point to a barebones roster looking to a new era, but the teams has good current players in Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl and more.
That makes their 2025 NBA Draft selection all the more interesting, seeing as the player they take will join a roster in the dead center between competitive and rebuild.
In a recent mock draft posted to YouTube, the Raptors came away with Georgia freshman Asa Newell at No. 6. You can watch the full video below:
At 6-foot-11, Newell has been the picture of consistency so far for the Bulldogs this season. A former five-star, he’s averaged 15.2 points on 56% shooting overall, adding 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.
Offensively, Newell’s been elite as a play-finisher, finishing nearly around the rim with both finesse and power. His ranged splits started out rough, but have been climbing throughout the year, landing at around 36% on over two attempts in his last 12 games.
Defensively, he’s been equal parts stopper and rim-protector, using his unique blend of athleticism, fluidity and basketball IQ to garner both steals and blocks.
While he looks the part of a prototypical modern power forward, Newell also possesses the ability to put the ball on the floor in moderation, raising his ceiling.
The Raptors have developed their fare share of versatile forwards in recent years, and Newell could quickly be added to that list as a two-way force in one of their front court positions.
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