Latest news with #2024-25RookieoftheYear
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Spurs' Stephon Castle named 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle on Tuesday was named the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year, becoming the fourth player in franchise history to win the award. Castle secured 92 out of 100 first-place votes from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, topping Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (5) and Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells (3). He finished with 482 total points in the final voting. Advertisement The fourth pick joins David Robinson (1990), Tim Duncan (1998) and Victor Wembanyama (2024) as previous winners from the Spurs. They are the first team to have back-to-back winners since the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014-15 (Andrew Wiggins) and 2015-16 (Karl-Anthony Towns). Castle led all first-year players in scoring, averaging 14.7 points, 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds on 42.8% shooting from the field in 81 games. He also paced the rookie class in field goals (423) and total steals (74) while making over 100 more free throws (249) than any other first-year player. The Rising Stars Game MVP was the only rookie with at least 1,000 points this season (1,190) and is one of three in franchise history to also have 250 assists. He was one of four first-year players with multiple 30-point performances. Advertisement Castle earned Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors in January and March, joining Robinson, Duncan and Wembanyama as Spurs players to win multiple times. He was the first Spurs rookie since Duncan to rank in the top two on the team in both points and assists. This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: NBA: Spurs guard Stephon Castle named 2024-25 Rookie of the Year
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Paige Bueckers Reacts to Major Spurs Announcement
Paige Bueckers capped her UConn career with a national championship, a Wade Trophy and unanimous All-American honors. On April 14, she was the Dallas Wings' No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Meanwhile, just down I-35, another Husky alum was rewriting NBA history. Advertisement On Tuesday, San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle was named the NBA's 2024-25 Rookie of the Year, securing 92 of 100 first-place votes after posting 14.7 points, 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds over 81 games. Castle becomes the fourth Spur ever to claim the honor and gives San Antonio back-to-back winners for the first time since the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014-15 (Andrew Wiggins) and 2015-16 (Karl-Anthony Towns). Shortly after the news broke, Bueckers took to her Instagram story to celebrate her fellow UConn alum's achievement: "Yessir Steph!". Paige Bueckers, InstagramPaige Bueckers, Instagram The post linked two Huskies pedigrees: Castle for the men, Bueckers for the women. Advertisement Bueckers' arrival in Dallas comes after a Wings season that sat at 9–31 but earned the franchise a coveted No. 1 pick. At UConn, Bueckers finished third all-time in scoring (2,439 points) and first in average (19.9 PPG). Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers.© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Castle, a UConn freshman last season, posted 11.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 2.9 APG en route to a national title before jumping to San Antonio and flourishing in the NBA. As Bueckers and Castle begin their pro chapters, one in Arlington, one in San Antonio, their shared alma mater can claim an unprecedented double: a WNBA No. 1 pick and an NBA Rookie of the Year, both Huskies turned Lone Star icons. Related: Hailey Van Lith Makes Big Chicago Sky Decision After WNBA Draft Related: Paige Bueckers' Interaction With Former UConn Teammate Sparks Dating Rumors
USA Today
29-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Stephon Castle wins Rookie of the Year for back-to-back awards for San Antonio Spurs
Stephon Castle wins Rookie of the Year for back-to-back awards for San Antonio Spurs Show Caption Hide Caption Best first-round NBA playoff matchups The For The Hoops crew discuss the most exciting first-round NBA playoff series, including Lakers vs. Timberwolves and Rockets vs. Warriors. The San Antonio Spurs continue to rebuild with promising young stars. Stephon Castle was named the NBA's 2024-25 Rookie of the Year, the second consecutive season a Spurs player has taken home the award. The No. 4 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of Connecticut, Castle gives San Antonio back-to-back seasons with the league's top rookie after Victor Wembanyama won the award last season. Castle was clear cut one of the best rookies as he led the freshman class with 14.7 points per game and a rookie-high 74 steals this season. He was an iron man as he played 81 games in his first season, tied with Detroit's Ron Holland for the second-most among rookies after Washington's Bub Carrington played in all 82 regular season games. Castle was brought in to be a key piece of the backcourt as Wembanyama continued to establish himself as the future of a San Antonio team that hasn't been in the playoffs since the 2018-19 season. With solid size and the ability to play anywhere on the court, Castle showed flashes of potential in the early stages of his professional career, but he really showed how valuable he is after Wembanyama was ruled out for the season in February. After the All-Star break, Castle averaged 17.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal per game as he forced his way into becoming a starter. Despite the loss of Wembanyaama, De'Aron Fox and coach Gregg Popovich due to health issues, Castle and San Antonio finished the season 34-48, the most wins in the past four seasons. Castle is the fourth Spurs player to win Rookie of the Year, joining Wembanyama, Tim Duncan in 1997-98 and David Robinson in 1989-90. The four rookie awards by San Antonio are tied with the Portland Trail Blazers and Wizards for the third-most in NBA history. However, the Spurs are the only team to have four rookie award winners in the past 35 years. It is the second time in the past 50 years a team had back-to-back rookie award winners, the last being in 2015 and 2016 when Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns did so for the Minnesota Timberwolves. It's the fourth time in league history as Earl Monroe and Wes Unseld won it with the Baltimore Bullets in 1968 and 1969 and Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio of the Buffalo Braves did it in 1973 and 1974.
