San Antonio’s Stephon Castle could seize control of the suddenly open Kia Rookie of the Year chase.
Jared McCain isn’t the biggest name on the NBA’s injury list these days. Kawhi Leonard, Zion Williamson, a couple of stellar young forwards in Orlando and McCain’s teammate, Joel Embiid, rate higher than the Philadelphia rookie in the gimpy, banged-up-and-unavailable pecking order.
But the Sixers’ first-round pick was a bright spot for his team in a tough early season. His surgery Tuesday to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee wasn’t officially termed “season-ending,” but it will sideline McCain enough to effectively wipe him out as a legitimate Kia Rookie of the Year candidate.
That race, already tight through the first eight weeks with San Antonio’s Stephon Castle, has become Castle’s to lose for now. He is the top rung-holder, positioned nicely to back up teammate Victor Wembanyama’s ROY season with another.
However, Memphis’ Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells, New Orleans’ Yves Missi, the Lakers’ Dalton Knecht and a few others have plenty of season remaining to sway the voters. Here is how they’re faring, in the latest edition of the Ladder:
• If it were to happen – Castle being coronated as top rookie – the Spurs would become the fifth franchise in NBA history to have consecutive ROY winners. The previous five: Chicago Packers and Chicago Zephyrs (which later became the Washington Wizards) in 1962 (Walt Bellamy) and ’63 (Terry Dischinger), the Baltimore Bullets (now Wizards) in ’68 (Earl Monroe) and ’69 (Wes Unseld), the Portland Trail Blazers in ’71 (Geoff Petrie) and ’72 (Sidney Wicks), the Buffalo Braves (now LA Clippers) in ’73 (Bob McAdoo) and ’74 (Ernie DiGregorio) and the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015 (Andrew Wiggins) and 2016 (Karl-Anthony Towns).
• Utah Jazz rookie Cody Williams has been slow to get traction — he has had just one game scoring 10+ points and only two making at least half of his shots, and he has strung together nine DNPs lately. But the No. 10 pick has one advantage most other newcomers do not: A brother in the league to impart wisdom, most of it centered around patience.
“I always try to harp on that with him,” OKC’s Jalen Williams said this week in Las Vegas. “You’re not playing basketball for a year with this team. You’re trying to have a stint of 10 to 15 years of playing.”
Older brother was 21 when the Thunder made him the No. 12 pick in 2022 and wound up finishing second to Orlando’s Paolo Banchero in ROY balloting. He also was about 25 pounds sturdier than Cody, who just turned 20 last month.
Said Jalen: “I couldn’t imagine coming into the NBA at 19 and obviously playing against these guys. So that speaks to how talented he is.”
No. 1 vs. “No. 1.” See what happens when you try to open a Christmas gift early. What was likely to be a head-to-head comparison on Dec. 23 of the top two rookies — McCain and Castle — won’t be happening now. Instead, we’ll tune in for a game featuring the No. 1 pick in June, Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher, and Castle. That comes Thursday when Atlanta plays at San Antonio.
(All stats through Tuesday, Dec. 17)
1. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Season stats: 11.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.9 apg
Last Ladder: No. 2
Draft pick: No. 4
Castle appeared in just one game, scored two points on 1-of-8 shooting in a loss to Minnesota … and rose to the top of the Ladder for the first time this season. McCain’s knee surgery opened up that spot, and it might pave the way for the Spurs guard to claim the ROY award. His defense, on-court/off-court impact and San Antonio’s improved results have him as a Vegas favorite.
2. Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers
Season stats: 15.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.6 apg
Last Ladder: No. 1
Draft pick: No. 16
When it rains, it pours for the Sixers. How much will that woebegone team miss the East’s October/November top rookie? “I think it’s definitely going to be hard,” teammate Guerschon Yabusele said. “I think Jared is one of a kind, a kid with a lot of energy, no fear, being able to bring so many good things for us on offense.”
3. Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans
Season stats: 9.2 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.2 bpg
Last Ladder: No. 4
Draft pick: No. 21
Missi is already considered one of the few Pelicans who won’t be available as the trade deadline nears. Get a load of the 6-foot-11 center’s per-36 numbers: 12.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks — with 5.3 of those rebounds on the offensive end.
4. Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
Season stats: 11.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.7 apg
Last Ladder: No. 3
Draft pick: No. 39
Wells contributes to winning more than any other Class of 2024 member as a Grizzlies starter averaging 24.6 minutes. That’s not a huge filter for assessing rookies but it’s something. Of often guarding the opponents’ most potent scorers, Wells recently said: “I’m going to have times where they’re killing me since I’m a rookie, but I’m learning every game.”
5. Alexandre Sarr, Washington Wizards
Season stats: 10.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.8 bpg
Last Ladder: No. 7
Draft pick: No. 2
Sarr continues to develop through the losing, with 14 ppg and 6.5 rpg and somehow a plus-4.0 while logging 27.1 mpg in games the Wizards lost by 24. Ranks in the Top 10 among rookies in scoring, rebounds and assists.
6. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
Season stats: 10.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg
Last Ladder: No. 5
Draft pick: No. 1
Some Hawks watchers think subbing in the rookie for De’Andre Hunter — it’s the other way right now — would help Risacher and the team.
7. Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards
Season stats: 9.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.0 apg
Last Ladder: No. 8
Draft pick: No. 14
Sink or swim in the deep end of the pool (34.3 mpg last week, 33.3% shooting, minus-17.5 in 2 games).
8. Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Season stats: 11.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.0 bpg
Last Ladder: No. 10
Draft pick: No. 9
Returned with force after a 12-game absence, hitting 6-of-8 for 13 points with 10 rebounds (eight offensive) at the Lakers.
9. Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
Season stats: 10.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.1 apg
Last Ladder: No. 6
Draft pick: No. 17
Tumbles down Ladder due to rough December (6.4 ppg, 37.3 FG%, 11.5 3FG%).
10. Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
Season stats: 6.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.1 bpg
Last Ladder: Not ranked
Draft pick: No. 7
Leads rookies in blocks (2.1) and averages 8 points, 10 boards and 3 blocks when he starts.
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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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