Castle is the second former Husky to win the award.
Stephon Castle has another award for his trophy case. The former UConn star was named the NBA’s 2025 Rookie of the Year Tuesday night, capping off an impressive first season for the Covington, Georgia native. He’s the first Husky to win NBA Rookie of Year since Emeka Okafor did so 20 years earlier in 2005.
Steph Big Mek
20 years later, Steph becomes UConn’s second NBA Rookie of the Year winner #KiaROY pic.twitter.com/wK0hMJKzBm
— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) April 29, 2025
Castle received 92 out of 100 possible first-place votes to win the award in a landslide. After being selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 draft, Castle stepped in and immediately entrenched himself in the Spurs’ rotation. He averaged 14.7 points, 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game, forming one of the most fun duos in the league with Victor Wembanyama.Prior to Wemby’s season-ending injury, “Area 51” was a defensive nightmare for opponents and a sign of what’s to come for an up-and-coming Spurs team.
Castle ended up appearing in 81 of the team’s 82 games this season, starting 47 of them. Just a few months after winning Big East Freshman of the Year and helping UConn to its sixth national title, Castle earned his first pro award at NBA All-Star Weekend, earning MVP honors for the Rising Stars Challenge.
Steph Castle. Winner. pic.twitter.com/3JS6nQclzi
— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) April 30, 2025