SAN ANTONIO – The NBA announced Tuesday that San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle was named 2024-25 Rookie of the Year.
Castle beat out Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher and Memphis Grizzlies guard Jaylon Wells. He received 482 total points in the voting compared to Risacher’s 245 points and Wells’ 123 points.
Castle’s win marked just the second time in the past 50-plus seasons that one franchise has won the top rookie honor in consecutive years.
Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (now with Miami) and Karl-Anthony Towns (now with New York) were both voted rookies of the year in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
Previously, the Buffalo Braves’ Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio won back-to-back honors in 1973 and 1974. The then-Braves are now known as the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Baltimore Bullets’ Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Wes Unseld pulled off the feat in 1968 and 1969. The Bullets have since moved to Washington, D.C., where they are now known as the Wizards.
Since joining the NBA in the 1976-77 season, the Spurs have now produced four NBA Rookie of the Year winners: David Robinson (1989-90), Tim Duncan (1997-98), Victor Wembanyama (2023-24) and now Castle (2024-25).
Swen Nater won Rookie of the Year in the 1973-74 season when the Silver and Black were still in the ABA.
Castle experienced a roller-coaster season in his first year in the NBA. He had Gregg Popovich as his coach for only five games, was in and out of the Spurs’ starting lineup and played most of the second half of the season without Wembanyama. Still, he is the NBA’s top rookie.
He played in 81 games (47 starts) and led all rookies in scoring with 14.7 points per game. He also topped rookies in points scored, steals, and 20-point games. Additionally, Castle ranked among the top rookies in total assists, total minutes played and points scored in 20-point games.
Having veteran point guard Chris Paul, who won Rookie of the Year in the 2005-06 season, certainly benefited Castle.
The fourth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft was also the NBA Rising Stars Challenge MVP and finished second in the Slam Dunk Contest during NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.
Castle is just the second men’s basketball player from the University of Connecticut to win Rookie of the Year, joining Emeka Okafor, who won the award with Charlotte during the 2004-05 season.
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