Basketball’s talk shows often refer to the Rookie of the Year as “the award you can only win once.” And thus, perhaps it only made sense for 2024-25’s trophy to reside in the case of a player well-versed in proving his rarity from Day One. A few months removed from cutting the nets as a National Championship-winning freshman at UConn, the San Antonio Spurs’ No. 4 pick sustained winning habits in October 24, 2024’s debut against the Dallas Mavericks. Many of the traits that left Castle in rarefied air by season’s end — the lightning-quick handle, fearless around-the-rim finishes, and pull-up productivity — were evident immediately, as Castle helped the youthful Spurs play the NBA Finals runner-ups competitively. Castle’s closing tally included eight points (on three-of-seven shooting), three rebounds, and five assists. Among the countless ways of determining how elite one’s young core is, Alamo City got the ultimate indication through back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners, as Castle, an overwhelming first-place favorite, led all rookies in points (1,190) and steals (74), complementing his well-balanced season averages. · Oct 24, 2024