Latest news with #Risacher
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Spurs' Stephon Castle, Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher headline NBA All-Rookie first team
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher and Memphis Grizzlies guard Jaylen Wells headlined the NBA All-Rookie first team on Tuesday. Castle, the Rookie of the Year, was the only unanimous first-team selection, earning all 100 votes from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters who voted on the awards. Risacher received 99 first-team votes, while Wells garnered 96 in the final tally. Advertisement The three leading vote-getters for the first team represented the final results for Rookie of the Year, with Castle receiving 92 first-place votes. Risacher finished with five first-place votes, and Wells had three in the voting announced last month. Joining the trio on the first team are Grizzlies center Zach Edey and Washington Wizards center Alexandre Sarr. The Grizzlies are the first team since the 2019-20 Grizzlies to have multiple players voted to the All-Rookie first team in the same season. Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware, Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi, Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan and Wizards guard Bub Carrington were named to the All-Rookie second team. Advertisement Carrington just edged out Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier for the last spot on the second team after finishing with 53 total voting points. Sarr and Carrington are the second set of Wizards teammates to earn All-Rookie honors. This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: NBA All-Rookie: Spurs' Castle, Hawks' Risacher headline first team
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year as second straight Spurs player wins the award
San Antonio guard Stephon Castle was named NBA Rookie of the Year on Tuesday, joining Victor Wembanyama as the second consecutive Spurs player to win the award. Castle overwhelmingly won the award over the Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher, who was the No. 1 overall pick in last summer's draft, and the Memphis Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells. Castle earned 482 total points, compared to the 245 Risacher received. Wells finished third with 123 points. Washington's Alex Sarr finished fourth, and Grizzlies big man Zach Edey came in fifth. Castle joined the Spurs as the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after a single standout season at UConn in which he helped lead the Huskies to a second straight NCAA championship as a freshman. Playing on a Spurs team with veteran Chris Paul at point guard, Castle began his rookie season coming off the bench. He eventually earned a part-time spot in the starting lineup that evolved to a full-time role in the backcourt playing alongside Paul for the final month of the season after De'Aaron Fox's season-ending finger injury. In 81 games, including 47 starts, Castle averaged 14.7 points, 4.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 42.8% from the field and 28.5% from 3-point distance. Castle is the Rookie of the Year in a relatively down rookie class that didn't offer many challengers for the honor. Risacher and Sarr (No. 2 overall) were drafted as projects, and each looked the part for much of their respective rookie campaigns. Risacher, a 6-foot-8 forward, averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 45.8% from the field and 35.5% from 3-point distance. Sarr, a 7-foot center, flashed his two-way upside as the season progressed but struggled with his efficiency. He averaged 13 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 39.4% from the field and 30.8% on 5.1 3-point attempts per game. Reed Sheppard, meanwhile, struggled to find playing time in Ime Udoka's Rockets rotation after being selected No. 3 overall by Houston. He played just 12.6 minutes per game in 52 appearances, averaging 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 35.1% from the floor 33.8% from 3. A popular preseason pick to compete for Rookie of the Year, Sheppard's campaign fizzled before it got off the ground. In the end, Castle offered the most consistent and productive rookie campaign, even as he struggled with efficiency. He was effective on both ends of the floor and regularly guarded opposing teams' top perimeter weapons. Alongside Wembanyama and Fox, Castle projects as an integral part of San Antonio's promising core moving forward. With the Spurs in the lottery again, they'll have an opportunity to add another talented young player in June's NBA Draft.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stephon Castle named NBA Rookie of the Year as second straight Spurs player wins the award
San Antonio guard Stephon Castle was named NBA Rookie of the Year on Tuesday, joining Victor Wembanyama as the second consecutive Spurs player to win the award. Castle overwhelmingly won the award over the Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher, who was the No. 1 overall pick in last summer's draft, and the Memphis Grizzlies' Jaylen Wells. Castle earned 482 total points, compared to the 245 Risacher received. Wells finished third with 123 points. Washington's Alex Sarr finished fourth, and Grizzlies big man Zach Edey came in fifth. Castle joined the Spurs as the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after a single standout season at UConn in which he helped lead the Huskies to a second straight NCAA championship as a freshman. Playing on a Spurs team with veteran Chris Paul at point guard, Castle began his rookie season coming off the bench. He eventually earned a part-time spot in the starting lineup that evolved to a full-time role in the backcourt playing alongside Paul for the final month of the season after De'Aaron Fox's season-ending finger injury. In 81 games, including 47 starts, Castle averaged 14.7 points, 4.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 42.8% from the field and 28.5% from 3-point distance. Castle is the Rookie of the Year in a relatively down rookie class that didn't offer many challengers for the honor. Risacher and Sarr (No. 2 overall) were drafted as projects, and each looked the part for much of their respective rookie campaigns. Risacher, a 6-foot-8 forward, averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 45.8% from the field and 35.5% from 3-point distance. Sarr, a 7-foot center, flashed his two-way upside as the season progressed but struggled with his efficiency. He averaged 13 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 39.4% from the field and 30.8% on 5.1 3-point attempts per game. Reed Sheppard, meanwhile, struggled to find playing time in Ime Udoka's Rockets rotation after being selected No. 3 overall by Houston. He played just 12.6 minutes per game in 52 appearances, averaging 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 35.1% from the floor 33.8% from 3. A popular preseason pick to compete for Rookie of the Year, Sheppard's campaign fizzled before it got off the ground. In the end, Castle offered the most consistent and productive rookie campaign, even as he struggled with efficiency. He was effective on both ends of the floor and regularly guarded opposing teams' top perimeter weapons. Alongside Wembanyama and Fox, Castle projects as an integral part of San Antonio's promising core moving forward. With the Spurs in the lottery again, they'll have an opportunity to add another talented young player in June's NBA Draft.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hawks React to NBA's Major Zaccharie Risacher Announcement on Tuesday
The Atlanta Hawks selected Zaccharie Risacher with their No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft. And in his debut professional season, the 6-foot-8 Frenchman delivered. Risacher, 20, finished the 2024-25 NBA season averaging 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, shooting 45.8% from the field. Advertisement Risacher finished second in 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year voting, trailing only San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle. On Tuesday, Risacher was announced as one of the five members of the 2024-25 NBA All-Rookie First Team — joining Castle, Zach Edey, Alex Sarr and Jaylen Wells. The Hawks took to social media with a reaction to this major NBA announcement. "Best of the best @Zacch_10 has been named to the @Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team!" the team wrote on X. Risacher is the 10th Hawk in franchise history to earn All-Rookie First Team honors, joining Trae Young, Al Horford, Stacey Augmon, Dominique Wilkins), John Drew, John Brown, Pete Maravich, Lou Hudson and Zelmo Beaty. Advertisement Risacher, who was 19 years old for much of his rookie season, notched four games with more than 30 points in 2024-25. He's the first teenager in NBA history to record multiple 30 point games with zero turnovers. Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher controls the ball against Brooklyn Penner-Imagn Images Risacher notched a career-high 38 points in a win over the Brooklyn Nets in April. "I was hoping he got 40 tonight. The way he was playing was so nice, so effortless," Hawks point guard Trae Young said of his rookie teammate. "It was great to see. We need him to keep it going. That is the Rookie of the Year right there. ... Zacch is very, very aggressive. He is very smart. There are a lot of guys who are tall, athletic and skilled, but there are not a lot that have all three combined with smartness. ... He is so skilled. He has got the brightest future of any rookie that I've seen this year." Related: Timberwolves Announce Historic Julius Randle News Before Game 1 vs. Thunder
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hawks Veteran Has Positive Prediction on Rookie Forward's NBA Career
The Atlanta Hawks may have had a disappointing 2024-25 NBA season, but it showed something bright for their future. Hawks rookie forward Zaccharie Risacher struggled to find his footing in the first half of the season. However, the top pick of the 2024 draft gradually became more comfortable in the league after the All-Star break. There was an obvious difference in how he played. During his first 48 games, the Frenchman averaged 11.4 points and 3.3 rebounds on 43.3% shooting from the field and 31.7% from deep. Advertisement In the final 27 games, however, Risacher picked up the pace. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 14.6 points and four rebounds on 49.8% from the field and 40.7% from long range. This helped his case to be a finalist in the Rookie of the Year race. Unfortunately for the Hawks, San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle was awarded the honor. Atlanta Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. and forward Zaccharie Risacher go up for a rebound over Philadelphia 76ers forward Caleb Martin in the first quarter at State Farm Davis-Imagn Images On Thursday, the Hawks' X account posted highlights of Risacher's rookie season. His veteran teammate, Larry Nance Jr., showed support by reposting it on his social media account. On top of that, he hyped up the rookie forward and predicted he has the potential to have at least a 15-year career. Advertisement "The kind of player we're going to be watching for a 15+ year career. Already gets what it means to be a professional 🙌🏽" Nance posted. There's an expectation that Risacher can take over the Hawks in the future and emerge as a star. With the mid-season growth he showed offensively, he can achieve greatness in Atlanta. The forward is just 20 years old and has enough time to develop into a valuable player in the league. Related: Hawks Star Trae Young Sends Clear Message on Zaccharie Risacher
