Castle wins NBA Rookie of the Year, Spurs make history again
TEXAS: San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle was named the runaway winner of the NBA Rookie of the Year award on Tuesday, continuing the franchise’s dominance in developing young talent. Castle follows in the footsteps of teammate Victor Wembanyama, who won the award unanimously last season, making San Antonio the first team with back-to-back winners since the Minnesota Timberwolves (Andrew Wiggins in 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns in 2016).
Castle, the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of UConn, received 92 of 100 first-place votes and totaled 482 points in voting by a global media panel. Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher finished second, while Memphis’ Jaylen Wells came third.
“Coming in with all the confidence that I had in myself as a player, that was definitely a goal of mine from Day 1,” Castle said on TNT. “I’m just happy I was able to execute it.”
The 20-year-old led all rookies with 14.7 points per game and 74 steals while appearing in 81 games, 47 of them as a starter. He also averaged 4.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and knocked down 95 three-pointers—showcasing a versatile all-around game.
Castle joins an elite list of Spurs legends to win the award, including David Robinson (1989-90), Tim Duncan (1997-98), and Wembanyama. With this back-to-back rookie recognition, the Spurs continue to build a strong foundation for a promising future.
