Two Memphis Grizzlies players were among the top finishers in the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year voting.
Jaylen Wells and Zach Edey both received votes, but San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle won the award, which was announced April 29.
The ROY race was close throughout the season. Edey entered as the favorite to win the award, but then another Grizzlies rookie emerged.
Wells joined the starting lineup in place of an injured Marcus Smart and became one of the team’s most reliable players. His defense and 3-point shooting led to him and Castle essentially being co-favorites until late February.
Voting results
Wells, who finished third in the voting behind Castle and Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher, received three first-place votes, 23 for second and 39 votes for third place from a panel of 100 media members.
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Edey didn’t receive any votes for first place. He had one second-place vote and seven for third. He finished fifth overall.
Jaylen Wells stats
Wells was durable and reliable, finishing with 10.4 points per game and 35.2% shooting on 3-pointers in 79 games.
After the season, he stated that consistency is something he wants to build on. He shot at least 32.8% on 3-pointers in every month until March, when he had his worst shooting stretch of the season. He made 27.1% of his 3-pointers in 14 March games, then 25% in four April games.
Wells was injured on April 8 after a hard fall against the Charlotte Hornets. He suffered a fractured right wrist, a concussion and a facial laceration.
Since the injury, he has been progressing well with no setbacks, and he’s even hoping to join the team for summer league in July.
“I think the biggest part is just that mental block I might have,” Wells said on April 27. “The next three weeks, I’m kind of taking it as I’m going to have to be in here anyways for rehab, so I might as well spend that time getting better, getting stronger, getting faster, doing whatever I can to get better.”
Zach Edey stats
Edey’s season was more of a roller coaster. He was in and out of the starting lineup most of the season. Even when he was starting, his fourth-quarter minutes were sporadic.
However, he ended his first year on a high note. He had double-doubles in both play-in games and thrived more under Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo with an expanded role.
Edey averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds in 66 games and 55 starts.
April was the first and only month he averaged more than 30 minutes per game. As a result, he put up 9.3 points and 15.7 rebounds per night across six games.
“For me, stringing games together was the big thing,” Edey said April 27. “Once I kind of get in a rhythm, get in that flow, didn’t have to worry or something like that holding me back, I think that’s kind of when I started taking off. That’s one thing I’ll really remember.”
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
