2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year Odds – Is Spurs’ Rookie King of the “Castle”?

Stephon Castle (-1600)

The Spurs have obviously taken a step back as a team after Victor Wembanyama went down with a blood clot in his shoulder. De’Aaron Fox is also out for the season after getting surgery on his pinkie finger. But that just means more reps for Castle, who leads all rookies in points with 14.5 per game.

“I feel like, at this point, I pretty much got it locked up…”

– Stephon Castle on the rookie of the year race

(Via @PaulGarciaNBA ) pic.twitter.com/uOxZuqNJUT

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 7, 2025

Castle was selected with the fourth overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft. Despite the debate over whether Sarr or Risacher should have been the No. 1 pick, Castle snuck right up on both of them!

With no “Wemby” or Fox, Castle is seeing a lot of the ball, and producing. In April, the 20-year-old is averaging 19.5 points per game on 45.6% shooting from the field. Additionally, he dished out 4.8 assists per game and 2.8 steals per contest! Castle has been showing how well-balanced and rounded he is as a guard for the Spurs.

The former UConn standout remains on track this month, as Castle has recorded 18.8 points, eight rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game! He’s on fire and seemingly wrapped up the Rookie of the Year award thanks to his recent surge. In February, Castle logged 2.8 assists per game, so his production as a facilitator has improved.

Stephon Castle Pre vs. Post All-Star Break

PPG: 12.9 -> 17.6
RPG: 2.8 -> 5.3
APG: 3.5 -> 4.7 APG
Usage: 24.1 -> 29.7

Via Los Angeles Clippers Broadcast pic.twitter.com/HOpDRqh9mU

— Jackson Lloyd (@JacksonLloydNBA) April 9, 2025

It’s never fun losing your franchise player, and then a player you trade for. The Spurs have also been without coach Gregg Popovich for most of the season. Given his health issues, it wouldn’t be a shock if “Pop”, arguably the best coach in NBA history, retires.

But Castle has handled it all in stride, and has improved as the season has gone on. When Castle’s NBA Rookie of the Year 2025 odds were -750, I noted there was still value there because his price would skyrocket soon. Castle should probably be a -2500 favorite, so even -1600 appears inaccurate!

Alex Sarr (+900)

It was a slow start for Sarr, the #2 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of France, who played his professional basketball in Australia. However, he showed tremendous growth through March and April.

Sarr, who turns 20 on April 26, averaged 16.4 points on 39.8% shooting, along with 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in March. He’s stayed in excellent form through four April matchups. The Frenchman has notched 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game.

Alex is HOOPIN' rn 👀

⚡️ 16 PTS and 4 REB in Q1 ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/GkI4GdMgyw

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) April 8, 2025

The Wizards are a dreadful team, and they traded Kyle Kuzma to Milwaukee. But that means Sarr can have the ball more, and he’s showing promise when he has it. He doesn’t even turn the ball over as much as you think he would, averaging 1.7 per game.

Sarr has also shown rim-protection potential. The seven-footer has a slight 205-pound frame, but he knows where to be, and is athletic. You could see him in the NBA DPOY odds in the next season or two.

He is leaps and bounds ahead of where he was in even January, which is what we need to remember about these players. Sarr won’t be 20 until later this month, which is still really young. In a 104-98 loss to the Pacers on April 8, Sarr became the first teenager to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a single game!

Writing him off after a bad start to his career would have been asinine. The tools are there for Sarr to be a good NBA player, although I wouldn’t take his NBA ROY odds this season. Castle has established too much of a lead, while Sarr got started too late.

Zaccarie Risacher (+1200)

Risacher is on a similar trajectory to Sarr, coming off the best month of his young career. The rookie, who recently turned 20 years old, averaged 16.3 points in 14 March games, along with 3.8 rebounds.

He shot 53.3% from the field, including 39.3% from three-point range, and 73.9% from the free-throw line. The Spaniard has a smooth game that we’re getting to see as he gets more comfortable.

Zaccharie Risacher is the only rookie with three 30-point games this season. pic.twitter.com/0KhYxcl7FM

— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 31, 2025

The 2024 #1 overall pick had a career-high 36-point night in a win against Milwaukee, and out of the top three rookies, he is the only one playing meaningful games.

After failing to clinch a playoff seed, the Hawks will be heading to the play-in round. While the Hawks aren’t expected to go deep into the postseason, this will provide Risacher with much-needed experience for the future.

The top pick looks to be a terrific offensive talent. It won’t pan out in a 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year win, but the Hawks got a really good player in Risacher.