The Atlanta Hawks wrapped up their 2025 NBA Summer League journey on Sunday evening in Las Vegas. After starting the week with four straight wins, the Hawks dropped their final contest to the Boston Celtics by a lopsided margin, though Atlanta held back all of its key pieces in the fifth game of the week. As such, it was clearly a positive trip for the Hawks, both through the lens of team success and the individuals that Atlanta fans were clearly observing in the desert.
In this space, we will highlight four major takeaways from Summer League with an eye toward the future.
Asa Newell looks the part
Newell was selected with the No. 23 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after the Hawks pulled off the grand slam trade with the New Orleans Pelicans to net an unprotected 2026 pick. With that as the backdrop, Newell has not necessarily drawn the level of "buzz" associated with some first round picks, but the 19-year-old big man played well in Las Vegas.
In four games, Newell averaged 13.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.8 "stocks" per game while averaging only 24.9 minutes per contest. Newell also shot 51.3 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from 3-point distance. He did have some issues at the free throw line in a small sample but, overall, Newell checked a lot of boxes. He defended well in space, showing his fluidity and athleticism, and Newell largely rebounded and finished well. Everyone, including Newell, agrees he will need to add strength in the coming months, but it was an encouraging week for the first round pick.
Kobe Bufkin did enough
In two NBA seasons, Kobe Bufkin appeared in only 27 games, leaving a ton of questions about his short-term and long-term future in Atlanta. He had not played in a competitive game in about seven months when Bufkin arrived in Vegas, but he was able to show enough to assuage at least some of the doubts.
Bufkin led the team in scoring, averaging 19.5 points per game in four outings, and he also added 5.3 rebounds per game and a team-leading 4.3 assists per game. Skeptics would certainly point to some ugly shooting numbers from the field, but Bufkin showed the ability to get to the free throw line and boosted his true shooting efficiency (52.5 percent) to a more reasonable level. Moreover, Bufkin was the undisputed leader of Atlanta's Summer League group, and he made big plays to lead comeback victories. It wasn't a perfect performance, but he showed some of the bones of the versatile, two-way player that the Hawks are looking for as a reserve guard.
Jacob Toppin might be a Two-Way steal
Toppin's weak was cut short with a hip injury, but he was arguably Atlanta's best player on a per-game basis. The 25-year-old forward averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game with elite shooting efficiency (56.7% FG, 40.0% 3PT), and Toppin also defended well. He showcased improved ball-handling ability and, while Toppin does have the advantage of experience, he was clearly "too good" for Summer League in a positive way.
Toppin is signed to a Two-Way contract with the Hawks and, at the very least, he is a valuable addition on that deal. There is also a clear pathway for him to outperform that contract, and Toppin's 3-and-D profile as an athletic forward is quite appetizing.
It's clear why the Hawks targeted Eli Ndiaye
Toppin's weak was cut short, but Ndiaye's week barely got started. In fact, the rookie forward appeared in only one game before suffering a left wrist injury. However, Ndiaye made quite an impression in that one outing.
The 21-year-old forward earned the superlative of "best undrafted rookie" in a Summer League piece from ESPN's Kevin Pelton, and Ndiaye was quite impressive in his single contest. In 21 minutes, he scored 12 points, grabbed six rebounds, produced two "stocks" and showcased real defensive upside with athleticism and awareness. Ndiaye was a player Atlanta quickly targeted after the draft, inking him to a Two-Way contract within only a few hours, and the former Real Madrid standout could be a valuable addition to the roster, both this season and long-term.