6 hours Ago By Karan Singh Rathod
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle has been named the 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year, following in the footsteps of teammate Victor Wembanyama. Castle’s win marks the second straight year a Spurs player has earned the honor, making San Antonio the only team with four Rookie of the Year winners in the past 35 years. Castle becomes the fourth Spur to earn Rookie of the Year honors, joining Wembanyama (2024), Tim Duncan (1998), and David Robinson (1990).
The Spurs now share the third-most Rookie of the Year awards in NBA history, and are the only franchise to win it four times since 1990. Only one other team in the last 50 years, the Timberwolves with Wiggins and Towns—has had back-to-back winners. In a dominant Rookie of the Year campaign, Stephon Castle rose above a shallow 2024 draft class to claim the NBA’s top rookie honor.
Castle, selected fourth overall by the San Antonio Spurs, collected 482 points in voting, nearly doubling runner-up Zaccharie Risacher’s 245 points. Memphis’ Jaylen Wells, Washington’s Alex Sarr, and Zach Edey rounded out the top five. Castle’s transition to the NBA came on the heels of a title-winning freshman season at UConn.
Despite beginning his pro career as a reserve behind veteran Chris Paul, Castle gradually worked his way into a starting role, especially after a late-season injury to De’Aaron Fox. Across 81 games, Castle posted 14.7 points, 4.
1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 42.8% from the field.
Although his 28.5% three-point shooting underscored room for improvement, his overall impact—especially defensively stood out in a class that lacked other clear standouts. Meanwhile, top overall pick Risacher put up 12.
6 points and 3.6 rebounds for Atlanta but failed to consistently influence games. No.
2 pick Alex Sarr showed flashes of his two-way potential but struggled with shooting efficiency. Other high-profile rookies, including Houston’s Reed Sheppard, were largely non-factors. Castle’s two-way consistency and poise in critical moments gave San Antonio a reliable backcourt presence.
Paired with Wembanyama and Fox, Castle’s emergence gives the Spurs a strong foundation to build on. With another lottery pick in June, San Antonio looks poised to continue stacking young talent. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from NBA, Sports and around the world.
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