All that glitters is not gold. The same could be said in the case of the 2025 NBA Rookie class. The draft might not seem flashy compared to the yesteryear batch, but these players could be some serious ballers in the coming years. These NBA rookies are showcasing themselves as serious contributors, as fans continue their assessment.
The Toppers of 2024-25 NBA Rookie Class
Stephon Castle
The San Antonio Spurs youngster won the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2024-25. He received 92 out of the 100 first-place votes to become the clear winner. In a span of 81 games, he averaged 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. He led all rookies in criterions like total points, steals, field goals and free throws.
Zaccharie Risacher
Another French talent, and following the steps of Victor Wembanyama, the Atlanta Hawks forward provided multiple +30 points games. He hit a career-best of 38 points against the Brooklyn Nets on April 10, 2025. These performances safely cemented his position as an offensive force in Atlanta’s roster. He averaged 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists across 75 games in the 2024-25 season.
Jaylen Wells
A 39th overall pick, Wells often made the starting roster for the Memphis Grizzlies. In the 79 games he played, the 21-year-old recorded an average of 10.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists. His rim-threat ability and shooting range at times earned him a call in the All-Rookie first team. He found himself in an elite company featuring Castle, Risacher, Edey and Sarr.
Alex Sarr
The Washington Wizards rookie averaged 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 67 games in the 2024-25 season. In these games, he showcased his rim protection skills, while improving his shooting from beyond the arc.
Zach Edey
The youngster was silently delivering for the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 9.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 66 games in 2024-25. His best scoring performance of 17 points came twice. The first one was against the San Antonio Spurs in March, followed by the game against the Charlotte Hornets in April.
The Late Bloomers: Second Team of 2024-25 NBA Rookie Class
While the ones mentioned above have made the cut due to their phenomenal performances, these young ballers have also quietly surpassed some expectations.
Kel’el Ware
Kel’el Ware, the Miami Heat rookie came up late in the season, but still left a good impact. He recorded an average of 9.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks across 64 games in the 2024-25 season.
He scored a total of 138 total points in the team-voting results. This consists of 44 points from first place votes, and the remaining 50 points from the second place votes. Therefore, the Miami rookie found himself at the top in the second team list.
Matas Buzelis
Matas Buzelis ranked at number two in the second team list of the All-Rookie Team. The Chicago Bulls young baller averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 80 games in 2024-25.
Yves Missi
Yves Missi, the New Orleans Pelicans played 73 games, featuring as a starter in 67 of them. Out of the 73 games he played in total, Yves averaged 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He comes at number three in the second team list.
Donovan Clingan
Donovan Clingan made the cut in the second team, after averaging 7.9 rebounds, 6.5 points and 1.6 blocks. He featured in 67 games in the 2024-25 season. The Portland Trail Blazers recorded his best score of 18 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who would end up being first-seeded in the Eastern Conference.
Bub Carrington
Bub Carrington featured in 82 games as a rookie for the Washington Wizards. He averaged a performance of 9.8 points, 4.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds in these games. The youngster showcased his ability to score off the dribble, playmaking and rebounding. He recorded his best score of 32 points against the Orlando Magic.
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