Stephon Castle, the San Antonio Spurs guard, has been awarded the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2024-25 season. This recognition comes on the heels of his impressive performance, averaging 14.7 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game. Castle, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft from UConn, becomes the second Spurs player to earn this title in consecutive years, following Victor Wembanyama's win in the previous season.

Among the high school talent, AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 consensus recruit for the class of 2025, expressed admiration for Castle's debut performance. Dybantsa has committed to play for Brigham Young University, contributing to a Cougars team that is gaining national recognition in the Big 12 Conference. With his remarkable skills, particularly in scoring and potential defensive prowess, Dybantsa is poised to be a future star in college basketball, making his upcoming season one to watch.