Within the lengthy and storied historical past of the NBA, solely 5 instances has a workforce nabbed the Rookie of the Yr in back-to-back seasons…till this 12 months.
Yesterday, Spurs guard Stephon Fortress gained the 2025 ROTY award. That is the second 12 months in a row the Spurs have drafted the winner of the award.
The primary time concerned Water Bellamy, who went to the Chicago Packers because the primary general choose of 1961-62. He went on to be named ROTY. The subsequent season Terry Dischinger was named the 1962-63 ROTY. Dischinger was the second spherical choose by the Chicago Zephyrs. The Zephyrs have been the identical workforce because the Packers however had undergone a reputation change.
Chicago Zephyrs turned the Baltimore Bullets in 1963 and pulled off back-to-back Rookies of the Yr once more.
In 1967-1968, Earl Monroe who was drafted second general obtained the honors adopted in 1968-1969 with Wes Unseld, additionally the league’s second general choose.
Two years later, Geoff Petrie, the Portland Path Blazers’s eighth general choose of 1970 shared the ROTY honors with Dave Cowens. The subsequent 12 months, Sidney Wicks, the second general choose of the 1971-72 season joined forces with Petrie when he commanded the ROTY honors.
The next season, 1972-1973, the Buffalo Braves drafted Bob McAdoo second general who gained the Rookie award. The subsequent 12 months they landed Ernie DiGregorio with the third choose and he adopted go well with with the ROTY honors.
4 instances in a dozen years, groups pulled rabbits out of their hats in consecutive years. However since 1973, it had solely occurred one time.
In 2014, the Minnesota Timberwolves picked Andrew Wiggins with the primary spot within the draft. In 2015, he was named Rookie of the Yr. The next season Minnesota drafted Karl-Anthony Cities with the primary choose and he additionally earned the ROTY {hardware}.
In 2023, the San Antonio Spurs drafted Victor Wembanyama, the unanimous Rookie of the Yr.
And yesterday, Stephon Fortress, the fourth choose within the 2024 NBA Draft was named this 12 months’s NBA Rookie of The Yr, making he and Wemby the sixth pair of back-to-back rookies from the identical workforce to amass the honors.
Let’s hear it for Space 51.
Welcome to The Thread. Be a part of within the dialog, begin your individual dialogue, and share your ideas. That is the Spurs group, your Spurs group. Thanks for being right here.
Our group pointers apply which ought to remind everybody to be cool, keep away from private assaults, don’t troll and watch the language.
