By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-12-01 15:06:03
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)在新秀赛季场均贡献 11.5 分和 3.8 次助攻。
加利福尼亚州萨克拉门托——克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)有时可能想查一下马刺新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔的身份证，但这并不是因为大多数 20 岁的年轻人都会被查身份证的原因。
“他才刚满 20 岁，”保罗说，“但他表现得像个 39 岁的人。”
这种不同寻常的成熟稳重在卡斯尔的NBA职业生涯初期就为他提供了很好的帮助，他的生涯将在周日于萨克拉门托迎来第 20 场比赛。
这位来自康涅狄格大学的 4 号秀在杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)于 11 月 4 日拇指骨折后进入马刺队的首发阵容，并且表现出色：卡斯尔场均得到 15.5 分、5.7 次助攻和 1.1 次抢断，同时在防守端也立即展现出了自己的实力。
“对于一个新秀来说，他是一个非常强壮的球员，尤其是对于一个后卫来说，”犹他爵士队主教练威尔·哈迪(Will Hardy)说道，他已经五次看到卡斯尔打球，包括一场季前赛。“他看起来很沉着，很有竞争力。所有迹象都表明他是一名优秀的球员，一个非常顽强的孩子。”
这是否足以让马刺队连续第二年获得年度最佳新秀奖还有待观察。即使是在被认为比前一年水平有所下降的选秀梯队中，竞争也非常激烈。
卡斯尔还有足够的时间来继续巩固自己的优势。
上赛季，维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)成为 26 年来第一位获得该奖项的马刺队新秀，以全票当选的方式赢得了投票。
然而，在一年前的这个时候，许多 NBA 观察家认为文班亚马和俄克拉荷马雷霆队的切特·霍姆格伦(Chet Holmgren)之间的竞争势均力敌。
考虑到这一点，以下是其他一些与卡斯尔竞争年度最佳新秀奖的球员，他们试图阻止该奖项继续留在圣安东尼奥：
杰里德·麦凯恩(Jared McCain)，费城76人
6 月份选秀大会的第 16 顺位新秀麦凯恩在赛季开始时并没有出现在任何人的年度最佳新秀预测名单上。然而，赛季初的火热表现可能会让这位前杜克大学的杰出球员在进入 12 月时成为早期的领跑者。麦凯恩以场均 16 分的得分领跑所有一年级球员，这一数据往往会让新秀进入大多数投票者的视野。
杰伦·威尔斯(Jaylen Wells)，孟菲斯灰熊
由于灰熊队的新秀扎克·埃迪(Zach Edey)正在护理脚踝伤势，威尔斯接过了灰熊队新秀的重任。作为来自华盛顿州立大学的二轮秀，威尔斯场均得到 12.2 分，并且为灰熊队 13 胜 7 负的开局做出了重大贡献。
道尔顿·克内希特(Dalton Knecht)，洛杉矶湖人
这位前田纳西大学的神射手在 11 月 15 日对阵犹他爵士队的比赛中投进了 9 个三分球，创造了 NBA 新秀纪录，并得到 37 分，从而让自己进入了年度最佳新秀的讨论范围。克内希特不仅仅是一场表现出色的比赛。他还曾在一场比赛中得到 27 分，并且在周末到来之前连续两场得分超过 20 分。
扎卡里·里萨切尔(Zaccharie Risacher)，亚特兰大老鹰
到目前为止，这位 19 岁的法国人已经不负众望，成为了这个平淡无奇的选秀梯队中的状元秀。他的表现一直很稳定，但并不惊艳。里萨切尔场均得到 11.3 分和 3.3 个篮板。如果他想成为继文班亚马和奥兰多魔术队的保罗·班凯罗(Paolo Banchero)之后第三位连续获得年度最佳新秀荣誉的状元秀，他需要稳步提升自己的表现。
扎克·埃迪(Zach Edey)，孟菲斯灰熊
进入赛季时，埃迪是挑战年度最佳新秀荣誉的黑马候选人，原因如下：这个选秀梯队缺乏像文班亚马这样的顶级明星球员，埃迪在孟菲斯灰熊队有一个明确的角色定位，而且——这一点很重要——他非常高大。这位身高 7 英尺 4 英寸的前普渡大学杰出球员在第一次体验 NBA 时表现出色，场均得到 11 分、6.9 个篮板和 1 次盖帽。然而，一次让他缺席了六场比赛（并且还在继续缺席）的脚踝扭伤减缓了这位大个子的步伐。
布布·卡林顿(Bub Carrington)，华盛顿奇才
作为另一位首轮中段的发现，卡林顿对于表现不佳的奇才队来说是一个惊喜，他在多个方面都做出了贡献。尽管他的得分在令人惊讶的开局后有所下降，但卡林顿在新秀中助攻数（场均 4.4 次）和抢断数（场均 1.2 次）均领先。
伊夫·米西(Yves Missi)，新奥尔良鹈鹕
本赛季饱受伤病困扰的鹈鹕队并没有什么好消息，但米西是个例外。这位来自比利时，曾效力于贝勒大学的 6 英尺 11 英寸的中锋在第 21 顺位被选中，他以场均 7.5 个篮板的成绩领跑 NBA 新秀的篮板榜。他每晚还能贡献 8.8 分和 1.3 次盖帽。
点击查看原文：Can Steph Castle keep the Rookie of the Year trophy in San Antonio?
Can Steph Castle keep the Rookie of the Year trophy in San Antonio?
Stephon Castle is averaging 11.5 points and 3.8 assists in his rookie season with the Spurs.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — There are times when Chris Paul might want to check Spurs rookie Stephon Castle’s ID, but not for the reason most 20-year-olds tend to get carded.
“He just turned 20,” Paul said, “and he acts like he’s the 39-year-old.”
That uncommon maturity has served Castle well throughout the opening to his NBA career, which was set to hit the 20-game mark Sunday in Sacramento.
The No. 4 pick from Connecticut entered the Spurs’ starting lineup after Jeremy Sochan broke his thumb on Nov. 4 and has done nothing but produce: Castle is averaging 15.5 points, 5.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game, while making an immediate mark on the defensive end of the floor.
“He’s a really physical player for a rookie, and especially for a guard,” said Utah coach Will Hardy, who has seen Castle five times already including a preseason matchup. “He seems to be poised and competitive. All signs are saying he’s a good player and a really tough kid.”
Whether that will be enough to give the Spurs a second consecutive Rookie of the Year award winner remains to be seen. The competition is stiff, even among a draft class considered watered down by the previous year’s standards.
There is plenty of time remaining for Castle to continue to build a case.
Last season, Victor Wembanyama became the first Spurs’ rookie to claim the trophy in 26 years, running away with the balloting in unanimous fashion.
At this time a year ago, however, many NBA observers considered it a neck-and-neck race between Wembanyama and Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren.
With that in mind, here is a way-too-early look at some of the other first-year players vying with Castle to keep the Rookie of the Year award from staying in San Antonio:
Jared McCain, Philadelphia
The 16th overall pick in the June draft, McCain didn’t enter the season high on anybody’s Rookie of the Year handicap lists. A hot start to the season, however, might make the former Duke standout the early frontrunner entering December. McCain leads all first-year players in scoring at 16 points per game, a statistic that tends to put rookies on most voters’ radar.
Jaylen Wells, Memphis
With fellow Grizzlies newbie Zach Edey nursing an ankle injury, Wells has seized the rookie reins in Memphis. A second-round pick out of Washington State, Wells is averaging 12.2 points and has been a significant contributor to the Grizzlies’ 13-7 start.
Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
The former Tennessee sniper shot (and shot and shot) himself into the Rookie of the Year discussion on Nov. 15, when he tossed in an NBA rookie record nine 3-pointers and scored 37 points in a victory over Utah. Knecht hasn’t been just a one-hit wonder. He also has a 27-point game on his ledger, and he came into the weekend on the heels of back-to-back 20-point outings.
Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta
So far, the 19-year-old Frenchman has lived up to billing as the No. overall pick in an underwhelming draft class. He has been solid, not spectacular. Risacher is averaging 11.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He will need a steady surge if he aims to become the third consecutive No. 1 pick to win Rookie of the Year honors, following Wembanyama and Orlando’s Paolo Banchero.
Zach Edey, Memphis
Entering the season, Edey was a dark horse candidate to challenge for Rookie of the Year laurels for a handful of reasons: The draft class lacked a top-of-the-marquee headliner like Wembanyama, Edey was penciled in for a defined role in Memphis and — this is no small point — he is huge. The 7-foot-4 former Purdue standout fared well in his first taste of the NBA, averaging 11 points, 6.9 rebounds and a block per game. An ankle sprain that cost Edey six games and counting has slowed the big man’s roll a bit.
Bub Carrington, Washington
Another mid-first round find, Carrington has been a revelation for the otherwise woeful Wizards, contributing in a handful of categories. Though his scoring has sagged after a surprising start, Carrington leads the rookie class in assists (4.4 per game) and steals (1.2).
Yves Missi, New Orleans
Not much has gone right for the injury ravaged Pelicans this season, but Missi has. Drafted 21st overall, the 6-foot-11 center from Belgium by way of Baylor leads NBA rookies in rebounding by averaging 7.5 per game. He is also chipping in 8.8 points and 1.3 blocks a night.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News