NEWTON COUNTY – Newton County native and San Antonio Spurs star Stephon Castle has become forever immortalized in NBA history.

Castle has officially been named the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year. This comes weeks after he was named a finalist for the award alongside the Atlanta Hawks’  Zaccharie Risacher and Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells.

In the official voting, Castle garnered 92 first place votes compared to Risacher’s five and Wells’ three. In total, he finished with 482 total votes, as announced by the league.

Throughout the 2024-25 NBA season, it was evident that Castle would be a prime contender for this award. 

After being selected fourth overall by the Spurs in June 2024, Castle shined throughout his 81-game season, averaging 14.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 4.1 APG. He also  shot 42.8% from the floor and 28.5% from three-point range.

Midway through his rookie season, Castle spoke to The Covington News regarding his journey in the NBA. He said that joining the Spurs was the best destination possible for him.

“I feel like it was the perfect situation for me to come in and learn in Year 1,” Castle said. “I’ve been able to go in and make mistakes and be corrected by some of the best, so it’s been great.”

Several weeks following his interview with The News, Castle shined once more, this time on a national stage.

During NBA All Star Weekend from Feb. 14-16, Castle became the first NBA player since former No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin to be featured in all three nights of the event.

On Feb. 14, Castle was a member of  “Team C” during the Rising Stars challenge, leading his team to two victories. With the wins, his squad advanced to the NBA All-Star Game tournament.

Castle accounted for 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the two tournament games to become the 2025 Rising Stars MVP.  He joined an elite list of names to win the Rising Stars MVP distinction with NBA stars like Jamal Murray, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant who have won the award in the past.

On Feb. 15, the 6-foot-6 Spurs rookie was one of four men to enter the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. While ultimately falling short to three-time champion Mac McClung, Castle showcased himself as one of the best dunkers in the world, with his finishing dunk earning a perfect 50 score.

The next day, in Team C’s matchup against NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal’s “OG’s,” Castle scored six points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. While his team lost to the polished All-Star squad, Castle held his own against players like Jayson Tatum, Stephen Curry and the aforementioned Durant.

While many saw Castle’s rise to stardom during this year’s All-Star weekend, many in Newton County knew the caliber of player he was.

In his four high school seasons with the Newton Rams, he became a consensus five-star prospect and received several Division I offers by the end of his junior season. He was also a member of the prestigious McDonald's All-American squad as well as becoming a gold medalist as part of the 2022 FIBA Americas U18 championship team.

When the dust settled, Castle committed to the University of Connecticut where he won a national championship.

In his one season with the Huskies, Castle averaged 11.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 2.9 APG. His performance earned him the accolade of 2024 Big East Freshman of the Year.

While injuries ultimately derailed the Spurs’ chances of making the NBA playoffs, Castle’s efforts were strong enough to carry him to the Rookie of the Year title and have made him a name to watch in NBA circles for the years to come.