Sacramento native and former Folsom High School star Jaylen Wells finished third in the NBA Rookie of the Year race following a stellar season with the Memphis Grizzlies.

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle won the award by a wide margin. Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher finished second. Wells was a distant third.

Wells was one of two Sacramento natives who received votes from a global media panel of 100 voters. The other was Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain, who received one third-place vote despite suffering a season-ending injury that limited him to 23 games.

Castle received 92 first-place votes, seven second-place votes and one third-place vote for a total of 482 points. Wells received three first-place votes, 23 second-place votes and 39 third-place votes for a total of 123 points.

Wells, a 6-foot-8 forward, was named The Sacramento Bee’s All-Metro Player of the Year as a senior at Folsom. He went on to play for Division II Sonoma State and Washington State before the Grizzlies selected him with the 39th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft.

In his first season with Memphis, Wells averaged 10.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 35.2% from 3-point range. He started 74 of 79 games for the playoff-bound Grizzlies before breaking his wrist in an April 8 game against the Charlotte Hornets.

McCain, who was born in Sacramento and played for Centennial High School in Southern California, averaged 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists before suffering a torn meniscus.