Big (Hoop) Dreams

From Small Town Kids to Team USA and Beyond

By Wendy Anderson | Photography courtesy of the Newell family

The Newell boys didn’t always aspire to play in the NBA.

Just six years ago, Jaden, then in eighth grade, and Asa, who was in sixth grade, tried out for the boys’ basketball team at Destin Middle School. Although the boys come from an athletic family, it was a big step—not only were they used to playing soccer and unfamiliar with basketball, but they were also homeschooled.

The boys were ecstatic to make the team, but neither they nor their parents realized how impactful the decision to try out would become. Since that time, both boys have grown tremendously in the sport, traveled to tournaments abroad, had their games broadcast on ESPN, gained attention on social media, and are working hard to achieve their goals of playing professionally.

Now nineteen years old and six-foot-nine, Jaden Newell is a sophomore at the University of Georgia and a member of the Bulldogs basketball team. Asa Newell, who is now seventeen, six-foot-ten, and in his senior year at Montverde Academy in Orlando, has been ranked as high as number one in the nation at his position, is being heavily recruited by colleges, has an impressive NIL valuation, and is already being watched by NBA scouts.

So, how did their lives change so much in just a handful of years? And how can their story help other kids achieve their dreams?

No Shortcut to Hard Work

Parents Justin Newell and Carmen Mitchell point out that no great achievements come without prayer, hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. Natural talent, the proper physique, a great social media campaign, and connections will only matter if the young person does the necessary work. They also credit the boys’ faith in God for giving them character-building principles and a greater purpose behind all they do—they seek to use their platforms to be a positive influence on others, not just achieve fame or wealth.

Jaden’s path has involved overcoming some setbacks, including an injury in his senior year of high school and the fact that the pandemic shut down playing opportunities. Nevertheless, he takes adversity in stride as it helps to strengthen him. “I’ve always been a visionary,” he explains. “When I was younger, I wanted to play professional soccer. Now, I want to play professional basketball. Having big goals inspires me to work hard.”

Asa concurs about the effort required. “There is a lot of work that goes into being where I’m at,” he says. “Sometimes I start at 5:00 a.m. I also put in a lot of late nights.” It’s not just basketball—mom Carmen proudly relates that Asa is also achieving the highest academic honors as a dual enrollment student.

Through AAU, the family heard about Montverde Academy, one of the top sports recruiting schools in the nation, which boasts sixteen NBA players as alums.

People Who Care

Second, the family credits their network—the in-person kind. Since Carmen played soccer and Justin is a personal trainer who owned CrossFit gyms, naturally, they encouraged their kids in athletics. But it took individuals around them to draw their attention to the boys’ potential in basketball and direct them to the means to nurture that potential.

It might seem that the family’s move from their hometown of Athens, Georgia, to the small town of Destin in the Florida Panhandle would have limited the boys’ opportunities, especially because they were homeschooled for most of their education. However, Carmen and Justin praise the many people in their adopted hometown and the surrounding area who cared enough to impart their skills and knowledge to help their kids.

When a member of the Newells’ gym heard the boys wanted to try out for the middle school team, he volunteered his time to teach them technique. The middle school girls’ basketball coach saw their potential and advised the Newells to get the boys involved in AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) basketball—something they’d never heard of. This led to three years of long drives from Destin to Orlando and back each weekend several months per year for practices and games. The sacrifice paid off by connecting the boys to Darryl Hardin and Lee Loper, trainers who have been guiding forces. Asa describes these mentors’ vital role in his success: “With all the attention on social media, I don’t need to hear that I’m the greatest. I need ‘no people’ who will tell me what I need to keep working on.”

Through AAU, the family heard about Montverde Academy, one of the top sports recruiting schools in the nation, which boasts sixteen NBA players as alums. Leaving the small town where they had strong friendships and a business was not an easy decision, but they made the sacrifice to relocate so that Asa could play on such an elite team. In terms of his progress, it has definitely paid off. The family that used to spend hours traveling to Orlando on weekends is spending hours traveling from Orlando to various college campuses where Asa is being recruited.

Becoming an Influencer

Recruitment trips are not without perks. The family has been given VIP tickets to football games at ranked schools and allowed special access, and at most colleges, a photo shoot is set for Asa in the team’s uniform. These images are uploaded to the universities’ social media accounts.

So far, Asa has received offers from eighteen Division I schools, including Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Gonzaga, Kansas, and Indiana. The attention can be intense, with coaches calling at all hours. “It feels good that my hard work has paid off,” Asa says. “But it’s important to keep the right focus, as basketball is a very mental sport. Also, the attention means that younger kids at my school look up to me, so it’s important to keep a clean image so that their faith is justified.”

Monitoring “clicks” and “likes” is as essential to modern-day marketing as points and rebounds are to players. Online publicity has become the third important factor in sports success. The number of followers an athlete has on his or her feeds is important—a number that usually starts as a function of the player’s success but can develop into a symbiotic relationship with it. Success on the court leads to a player attracting attention, which may be increased by charisma or other factors that inspire people to watch him play. In turn, receiving more attention can encourage players to work harder to meet expectations.

In today’s world, the reach of social media can be astounding. When Asa played for Team USA in Hungary and Spain, he was surprised to see signs in the crowd with his name on them. He discovered he had attracted a following in China, where videos of him playing had millions of views, and someone had created an Asa Newell fan club account. Asa’s Instagram followers rose from 5,000 to 42,000 in less than one year.

Sports analysts give each potential recruit an NIL (name, image, and likeness) score with potential dollar figures attached. Asa has recently been ranked first in Florida for the class of 2024 with an estimated NIL value of $444,000 (the estimate is for his potential to earn in college, as high school players are not allowed to earn in the state of Florida). This may mean being given a product and asked to post about it on social media feeds or being invited to an event and asked to link to it. Many players view this as their side job in addition to athletics and studies.

The youngest Newell, Zoë, has begun building her own social media profile. Now thirteen, she is playing basketball, aiming for a college scholarship, and piggybacking on her brothers’ social media accounts—and vice versa, as Zoë currently has 12,000 followers on TikTok compared to Asa’s 8,000. Regarding Zoë’s years of dancing with the Northwest Florida Ballet and competing with Studio Fusion Dance Company, Carmen relates, “That training and performance experience taught her to carry herself with poise and gave her the confidence to have a platform. Many coaches and instructors who faithfully did their jobs, even though they may have felt like they were reaching a limited number of people, continue to make an impact through what they have poured into our children.”

As far as what the Newells recommend for other parents to help their kids achieve their dreams—because, let’s face it, not everyone is six-foot-nine—in the age of social media, Justin offers: “Encouragement is vital. Anyone can, and often will, say anything about your kids, especially online. Parents play a key role in giving kids the ability to withstand whatever comes at them.” He adds, “Monitor your kids’ social media posts. Help them know what to include but also what not to include.” Finally, “Make sure they are surrounded by a strong support system and pray that God leads them on their own unique paths.”

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To track Asa Newell’s progress and learn what college he commits to, follow him on Instagram @asanewell. To follow Jaden Newell at UGA, find him on Instagram @jadennewell. For more information on AAU, go to 1FamilyHoops.com.