With about one month left within the 2024-25 NBA season, the Rookie of the Yr race seems to have a transparent frontrunner. Whereas there hasn’t been a runaway winner within the NBA rookie rankings, San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Citadel has stood out through the second half of the season.
Though the Spurs aren’t going to be a playoff workforce within the Western Convention for the sixth straight season, their longest postseason drought in franchise historical past, Citadel has confirmed that he generally is a focus for this group subsequent to Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox.
Extra importantly, Citadel has made essentially the most of his alternatives subsequent to Fox with Wembanyama sidelined for the rest of the season resulting from a blood clot in his shoulder.
Since collaborating in All-Star Weekend, Citadel has blossomed into one in every of San Antonio’s go-to scoring choices. He has additionally been rising assured in his skills off the ball and as a passer, studying from Chris Paul within the course of.
Whereas Citadel continues to enhance and zones in on the NBA’s Rookie of the Yr award, Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells from the Memphis Grizzlies aren’t happening and not using a battle.
The Grizzlies, not like the Spurs, are a playoff workforce within the West. Many know Memphis for Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane, however the Grizzlies’ rookies have positively impacted this workforce’s probabilities of successful. Whereas Wells is a two-way wing who has been a harmful three-point shooter, Edey has continued to enhance as a double-double menace within the paint.
Maybe essentially the most intriguing issue on this yr’s rookie race is that no participant has been named the Japanese or Western Convention Rookie of the Month twice. A unique participant has been named to such an honor each month of the season, proving how tight the race for Rookie of the Yr is.
Citadel, Wells, and Edey discover themselves on the high of the NBA rookie rankings with a month left, however that is nonetheless a wide-open race that might be determined late within the season.
1. Stephon Citadel – San Antonio Spurs
Earlier rank: #4
Stats: 62 video games, 13.5 factors, 3.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 42.5 FG%, 28.2 3P%
Over his final seven video games, Citadel has averaged 22.0 factors, 5.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per sport whereas taking pictures 49.2 % from the ground. He not too long ago registered his second 30-point sport of the season with 32 factors and eight rebounds in a 146-132 loss towards the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
So far as constant productiveness goes and being out there, Citadel has been the perfect rookie this season. Though his taking pictures percentages are usually not as nice as others within the NBA rookie rankings, Citadel leads all first-year gamers in scoring and complete pictures made. He additionally ranks fourth in minutes performed behind Bub Carrington, Jaylen Wells, and Yves Missi.
The long run may be very shiny for Citadel, who could very nicely give the Spurs back-to-back Rookie of the Yr honors after Wemby received the award final season.
2. Jaylen Wells – Memphis Grizzlies
Earlier rank: #1
Stats: 65 video games, 11.0 factors, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 43.7 FG%, 36.7 3P%
There’s not a lot that separates Citadel and Wells aside from the Spurs rookie’s scoring numbers in current weeks. Whereas Citadel has emerged late within the season because the Rookie of the Yr favourite, Wells’ constant two-way presence on the wing has made Memphis a professional playoff menace.
Whether or not he scores in double figures or knocks down a number of three-point pictures, Wells makes an affect in or out of the beginning lineup in Memphis. Sadly, that’s the place his Rookie of the Yr case has taken a success, because the rookie’s inconsistent lineup function has impacted his total scoring numbers.
When you have a look at the pure successful affect he makes, Wells has the sting on this race towards Citadel. Nevertheless, successful and making the playoffs would not maintain the identical affect for the NBA rookie rankings as it might within the MVP race.
3. Zach Edey – Memphis Grizzlies
Earlier rank: #6
Stats: 50 video games, 9.2 factors, 7.9 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 57.7 FG%, 36.4 3P%
In contrast to Wells, who is consistently concerned with the Grizzlies’ rotation for all 4 quarters, Zach Edey has been ignored of the combination at instances aside from drawing 42 begins in 50 appearances. What makes Edey a contender within the Rookie of the Yr race is that he’s second in rebounding and double-doubles this season behind Yves Missi.
The Grizzlies are nonetheless in competition for one of many high spots within the West playoff image, and Edey’s size subsequent to Jaren Jackson Jr. has created a tricky inside matchup for any opposing workforce. Edey has recorded not less than 9 rebounds in six of his final eight video games.
4. Alex Sarr – Washington Wizards
Earlier rank: #2
Stats: 48 video games, 11.8 factors, 6.7 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 38.9 FG%, 30.9 3P%
No person is speaking about Alex Sarr and his spectacular rookie season as a result of the Washington Wizards are among the many worst groups within the league. This has labored in Sarr’s favor, as he has obtained extra taking part in time and has constantly been a featured participant within the Wizards’ frontcourt.
So far as the Rookie of the Yr goes, Sarr would not look like on the identical degree as Citadel, Wells, and Edey since he missed chunks of time in 2025. With this mentioned, he’s making a late-season push, averaging 13.2 factors, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per sport in March.
5. Zaccharie Risacher – Atlanta Hawks
Earlier rank: #5
Stats: 58 video games, 11.7 factors, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 43.8 FG%, 34.5 3P%
Expectations for Zaccharie Risacher coming into the season have been decrease than normal for a first-overall choose due to how younger and inexperienced he’s. The 19-year-old ahead was not anticipated to be a starter when the Atlanta Hawks chosen him, but he is been a starter in 56 of the 58 video games he is performed.
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Risacher seems extra snug through the again half of the yr in comparison with the beginning, and he is turn into a professional taking pictures menace on the wing. For the reason that All-Star break, Risacher has averaged 12.8 factors and 5.1 rebounds per sport whereas taking pictures 46.0 % from three-point vary.
6. Kel’el Ware – Miami Warmth
Earlier rank: Unranked
Stats: 46 video games, 8.5 factors, 6.5 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 53.7 FG%, 32.5 3P%
The Miami Warmth could have discovered their frontcourt associate for Bam Adebayo with Kel’el Ware. Though his function was undefined initially of the yr, Ware has come on as of late, averaging 10.9 factors and eight.5 rebounds per sport because the begin of 2025.
Ware has registered double-digit rebounds in 4 of his final seven video games.
7. Yves Missi – New Orleans Pelicans
Earlier rank: #3
Stats: 62 video games, 8.8 factors, 8.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 54.4 FG%
Yves Missi has been one of many solely sturdy gamers for the New Orleans Pelicans this season. The rookie huge man can play alongside different facilities resulting from his athleticism, and he has paved a path for his secondary function in New Orleans transferring ahead. In comparison with different rookie facilities like Edey, Sarr, and Ware, Missi leads all first-year gamers in complete rebounds and is tied with Donovan Clingan in complete blocks.
8. Isaiah Collier – Utah Jazz
Earlier rank: Unranked
Stats: 57 video games, 7.5 factors, 6.2 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 40.8 FG%, 23.3 3P%
With Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, and Keyonte George coping with accidents, it was Isaiah Collier who stepped up for the Utah Jazz. Collier, the twenty ninth total choose on this previous yr’s draft, put collectively a outstanding month of February, averaging 9.5 assists in 13 complete video games. Amongst all gamers within the league, the rookie guard ranked fourth in assists behind Nikola Jokic, Trae Younger, and Cade Cunningham.
The 123 complete assists he recorded in February have been essentially the most by any rookie in a single month since Pooh Richardson in 1990, in keeping with StatMuse.
9. Carlton Carrington – Washington Wizards
Earlier rank: #10
Stats: 63 video games, 9.1 factors, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 39.8 FG%, 34.1 3P%
Some of the regular rookies no one is speaking about this season is Bub Carrington. The Wizards rookie has proven glimpses of his triple-double potential, and his potential to create scoring alternatives off the dribble is what excites his franchise. Carrington at present leads all first-year gamers in minutes and is second in assists.
10. Quinten Publish – Golden State Warriors
Earlier rank: Unranked
Stats: 27 video games, 8.3 factors, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 45.6 FG%, 41.7 3P%
No rookie has been extra impactful to his workforce by way of successful because the All-Star break than Quinten Publish. The 52nd total choose within the draft was a two-way participant earlier than the commerce deadline. Now, he’s beginning for a Golden State Warriors workforce that’s the hottest within the league and looking out like actual contenders within the West.
Publish has given the Warriors precisely what they have been missing — a stretch huge man who can constantly hit three-point pictures in pick-and-pop situations. For the reason that All-Star break, Publish ranks fourth amongst all rookies in made three-point pictures and is eighth in complete factors. Regardless of solely taking part in 27 video games, Publish deserves recognition within the NBA rookie rankings.