By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-03-12 14:33:01
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。
圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔（5号），中，在2025年3月9日星期日于明尼阿波利斯举行的对阵明尼苏达森林狼队的NBA篮球比赛下半场投篮。（美联社照片/Abbie Parr）
记录在案，马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔没有年度最佳新秀的投票权。
然而，如果瓦塞尔可以投票，他会如何选择并不令人惊讶。
斯蒂芬·卡斯尔。
“我觉得他绝对是年度最佳新秀，”瓦塞尔这样评价他20岁的马刺队友。“我当然是有偏见的，但我觉得这很容易看出来。”
即使是据称没有偏见的人似乎也同意这一点。
随着赛季进入尾声，卡斯尔非常有希望为马刺队带来背靠背的年度最佳新秀。
这位前康涅狄格大学的杰出球员不太可能像一年前的维克多·文班亚马那样，成为毫无争议的威尔特·张伯伦奖杯的获得者。尽管如此，卡斯尔——去年夏天选秀大会的第4顺位——已经成为拥挤的2024-25届新秀中的明显领跑者。
“卡斯尔的特点是他的运动能力，以及他理解如何打球，”达拉斯队主教练杰森·基德说。“我绝对认为他是联盟中最顶尖的新秀之一，如果不是现在排名第一的新秀。”
在NBA历史上，只有四支球队曾连续几个赛季拥有年度最佳新秀的荣誉。
最近的是明尼苏达队，这要归功于安德鲁·维金斯（2015年）和卡尔-安东尼·唐斯（2016年）。
厄尔·门罗和韦斯·昂塞尔德在1968年和1969年为巴尔的摩子弹队连续获得这一荣誉。杰夫·皮特里和西德尼·威克斯在1971年和1972年为波特兰队做到了这一点，而鲍勃·麦卡杜和厄尼·迪格雷戈里奥在1973年和1971年为布法罗勇士队完成了这一壮举。
三月份的强劲开局让卡斯尔有机会将马刺队也列入这份名单。
这位6英尺6英寸的后卫在周三主场迎战达拉斯队的比赛前，本月前六场比赛场均得到22分、4.8个篮板和4.8次助攻。总的来说，他以场均13.5分的得分领先所有符合资格的NBA新秀。
当被问及是否认为卡斯尔有资格获得年度最佳新秀时，马刺队代理教练米奇·约翰逊给出了一个快速且意料之中的答案。
“是的，”约翰逊说。
除了纯粹的数字和防守能力外，卡斯尔的多才多艺也给约翰逊留下了深刻的印象。
“他可能被他的球队要求承担了最广泛的责任，并且扮演着相当重要的角色，”约翰逊说。“如果你看到他被要求做的所有不同的事情——防守、进攻、持球、无球、替补出场、首发——我不知道是否有人被要求扮演如此广泛的角色。他已经完成了所有这些任务。”
卡斯尔争夺年度最佳新秀的优势在于，本赛季他没有明确的竞争对手。今年的新秀阵容不像上个赛季那样头重脚轻，如果文班亚马不存在，俄克拉荷马城的切特·霍姆格伦将是显而易见的选择。
在本赛季至少出战20场比赛的新秀中，只有五人的场均得分达到两位数。
如果卡斯尔最终成为本赛季的NBA年度最佳新秀，那么细节将无关紧要。
可以肯定的是：他已经在马刺队的更衣室里获得了100%的支持率。
“我们在赛季开始前可能都有一个期望，但他正在超越这个期望，”瓦塞尔说。“我认为我们才刚刚开始了解斯蒂芬能做到什么。”
以下是四位最有可能给卡斯尔的年度最佳新秀竞争带来挑战的球员：
- 杰伦·威尔斯(Jaylen Wells)，孟菲斯
从华盛顿州立大学以第39顺位被选中，威尔斯已经成为灰熊队的一个惊喜，他抓住了一个首发角色，场均得到11分。威尔斯的得分在三月份的开局有所下降，降低了这位后卫成为自2017年密尔沃基的马尔科姆·布罗格登以来第一位赢得年度最佳新秀的二轮秀的机会。
- 扎卡里·里萨谢(Zaccharie Risacher)，亚特兰大
这位多才多艺的法国前锋以本赛季联盟状元的天然优势开始了年度最佳新秀的竞争。里萨谢在平庸的开局后提高了产量，现在场均得到11.7分。
- 扎克·埃迪(Zach Edey)，孟菲斯
作为NBA现役最高的球员，身高7英尺4英寸的埃迪在孟菲斯一直是篮板好手。这位前普渡大学的杰出球员可能会发现通往年度最佳新秀选票的道路是艰难的，但是，如果选民选择在他们的选票上拆分灰熊队的选票。
- 凯尔·韦尔(Kel’el Ware)，迈阿密
韦尔身高7英尺，从印第安纳大学以第15顺位被选中，是这份名单上最不起眼的黑马。然而，马刺队非常了解韦尔，因为他在一月份对阵马刺队的比赛中得到了赛季最高的25分。
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) rebounds the ball over Dallas Mavericks center Dwight Powell (7) during the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Monday, March 10, 2025. The Spurs fell to the Mavericks, 133-129.
San Antonio Spurs “Super Fans” Rafael Perez, left, and his son Jonathan watch Stephon Castle warm up for the NBA game against the Dallas Mavericks at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Monday, March 10, 2025.
Dallas Mavericks forward Kessler Edwards (20) and San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) fight for the rebound during an NBA game at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Monday, March 10, 2025. The Spurs fell to the Mavericks, 133-129.
Dallas Mavericks center Dwight Powell (7) guards San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) as he passes the ball out to San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (0) during an NBA game at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Monday, March 10, 2025. The Spurs fell to the Mavericks, 133-129.
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (0) and San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) fight Dallas Mavericks forward Kessler Edwards (20) and forward Naji Marshall (13) for the rebound during the fourth quarter at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Monday, March 10, 2025. The Spurs fell to the Mavericks, 133-129.
点击查看原文：Spurs, Castle aim for ROY back-to-back
Spurs, Castle aim for ROY back-to-back
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5), center, shoots during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
For the record, Spurs guard Devin Vassell does not get an NBA Rookie of the Year ballot.
It is not surprising how Vassell would cast his vote if he could, however.
Stephon Castle.
“I feel like he’s definitely Rookie of the Year,” Vassell said of his 20-year-old Spurs teammate. “I’m biased, obviously, but I think that it is pretty easy.”
Even the purportedly unbiased appear to agree.
Heading down the home stretch of the season, Castle stands an excellent chance of giving the Spurs back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners.
The former Connecticut standout is unlikely to be the unanimous choice to hoist the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy, as Victor Wembanyama was a year ago. Still, Castle – the No. 4 pick in last summer’s draft – has emerged as the clear frontrunner of a crowded 2024-25 field.
“The thing about Castle is his athleticism, understanding how to play the game,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “I definitely think he’s one of the top rookies in this league, if not the No. 1 rookie right now.”
Only four teams in NBA history have boasted a Rookie of the Year honoree in consecutive seasons.
Minnesota was the most recent, thanks to Andrew Wiggins (2015) and Karl-Anthony Towns (2016).
Earl Monroe and Wes Unseld gave the Baltimore Bullets successive winners in 1968 and 1969. Geoff Petrie and Sidney Wicks did it for Portland in 1971 and 1972, while Bob MacAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio accomplished that for the Buffalo Braves in 1973 and 1971.
A strong start to March has afforded Castle a chance to put the Spurs on the list.
The 6-foot-6 guard headed into Wednesday’s home game against Dallas averaging 22 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists in six games to open the month. Overall, he leads all eligible NBA rookies in scoring at 13.5 points per game.
Asked if he believes Castle to be Rookie of the Year worthy, Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson gave a quick and expected answer.
“Yes,” Johnson said.
Beyond sheer numbers and defensive prowess, Castle’s versatility has stood out to Johnson.
“He’s probably been asked the widest range of responsibility from his team in a decent-sized role,” Johnson said. “If you see all the different things he’s been asked to do – defense, offense, on the ball, off the ball, off the bench, as a starter – I don’t know if anybody has been asked to have such a wide range of roles. He’s ticked the box on all of them.”
Castle’s Rookie of the Year quest is aided by the fact he has no clear-cut competition this season. This year’s rookie class isn’t as top heavy as last season, when Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren would have been the obvious choice in a world in which Wembanyama did not exist.
Among rookies to have played in at least 20 games this season, only five are averaging in double figures scoring-wise.
Should Castle finish the season as the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, the details won’t matter.
This much is certain: He is already polling at 100% in the Spurs’ locker room.
“We all maybe had an expectation coming into the season, and he’s blowing that out of the water,” Vassell said. “I think we’re just getting to the beginning of what Steph can be.”
Here is a look at four players most likely to give Castle a run for his money in the Rookie of the Year chase:
1. Jaylen Wells, Memphis
Selected 39th overall out of Washington State, Wells has been a revelation for the Grizzlies, seizing a starting role and averaging 11 points. Wells’ scoring has tailed off to open March, reducing the guard’s chances at becoming the first second-round pick to win Rookie of the Year honors since Milwaukee’s Malcolm Brogdon in 2017.
2. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta
The versatile French forward began the Rookie of the Year race with the natural advantage of being the league’s No. 1 overall pick this season. Risacher has picked up production after a so-so start, and is now averaging 11.7 points.
3. Zach Edey, Memphis
The NBA’s tallest active player at 7-foot-4, Edey has been a rebounding force in Memphis. The former Purdue standout could find the path to Rookie of the Year votes arduous, however, if voters choose to split the Grizzlies on their ballots.
4. Kel’el Ware, Miami
A 7-footer selected 15th overall out of Indiana, Ware is the darkest of dark horses on this list. The Spurs know Ware well, however, as he scored a season-high 25 points against them in January.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News