NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing 5 contenders for 5-star forward Asa Newell

One of the top forwards in the 2024 NCAA Basketball recruiting class is Asa Newell, a 6’9 big man that hails from Florida and plays his high school basketball at Montverde Academy. He’s a consensus five-star prospect, ranked in the top 20 overall among all recruiting services.

It’s rare for a true forward to be known for his defensive ability more than offense but that’s Newell’s biggest strength on tape. He’s an elite individual and help-side defender with the ability to stretch out defenses on the perimeter. Newell has one of the higher ceilings in the class and could easily be a “one and done” future pro if things go well.

The recruitment for Newell is getting going, as he talked with Brandon Jenkins of 247sports in the past week about the process. He’s already reportedly visited the likes of Indiana and Georgia and would like to visit three other specific schools.

Does any of them stand out at the moment? Here’s a closer look at Newell’s potential fit with each of the five contenders at the moment.

Alabama Crimson Tide

As much attention as Brandon Miller rightfully got at Alabama last season, the team had another star freshman and 1st-round NBA Draft pick in Noah Clowney. Newell has a similar game and he’d be a good fit for Coach Nate Oats.

It’s a good question as to how Jarin Stevenson fits into this equation. He was a five-star class of 2024 forward prospect as well before moving up to join the Crimson Tide next season. He could be a one-and-done but the likelihood is high that Stevenson is a two-year guy and could force Newell to come off the bench if the other guy is a clear starter. This could be a situation that comes down to Stevenson and his own impact next season.