For the second 12 months in a row, the Kia NBA Rookie of the 12 months is coming from deep within the coronary heart of Texas (a.ok.a. San Antonio). To the shock of only a few, the winner for the 2024-25 season is Stephon Citadel, who joins Victor Wembayama, Tim Duncan and David Robinson as simply the fourth Spur in franchise historical past to win the award.
Citadel beat out fellow finalists Zaccharie Risacher and Jaylen Wells for the award, receiving 92 of the doable 100 first-place votes.
A world media panel of 100 voters chosen the winner of the 2024-25 Kia NBA Rookie of the 12 months Award.
The whole voting outcomes ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/VrvxR9N4tT
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 29, 2025
Because the fourth total decide, Citadel ties Scottie Barnes because the lowest-drafted participant to win ROY since Malcom Brogdon shocked the world by profitable because the thirty sixth decide in 2017. Citadel was a part of a draft class thought of deep with position participant expertise however missing anybody who stood above the remainder, so the award was thought of anybody’s to win. After a considerably sluggish begin, Citadel’s manufacturing shortly picked up when he started beginning within the eighth sport of the season, and it was principally highs from there.
For the season, he averaged 14.7 factors, 3.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists, however his numbers diverse drastically relying on whether or not he began or got here off the bench largely attributable to out there minutes. Within the 47 video games he began, he averaged 16.6 factors, 4 rebounds and 4.9 assists in half-hour, whereas within the 34 video games he got here off the bench, these numbers dipped to 12 factors, 3.1 rebounds and a couple of.9 assists in simply 22 minutes per sport.
Nonetheless, Citadel had a robust total season no matter position, profitable Rookie of the Month in each January and March whereas staving off late advances from prime total decide Risacher to win ROY. If Citadel wasn’t being observed already, he undoubtedly caught the general public’s eye throughout All-Star Weekend, the place he made an look all three days. He led his Rising Stars staff to victory whereas being voted MVP, got here in second to Mac McClung within the Dunk Contest (name me biased, however I most well-liked Citadel’s pure dunks over all of McClung’s props), and he participated within the All-Star Recreation (Event?) itself because the Rising Stars winners have been the fourth “staff”.
With over 1,000 factors, 250 rebounds, 250 assists and 70 steals for the season, Citadel additionally joined some elite firm with Luka Doncic, Trae Younger and Cade Cunningham being final three rookie guards to publish these numbers. All three of these gamers are All-Stars, and a minimum of one in every of them is probably going a future Corridor of Famer.
The Spurs have been reportedly very excessive on Citadel earlier than they drafted him, and he confirmed their religion was justified with stable two-way play, in-season enchancment, and loads of untapped potential — maybe much more than anticipated. With the Spurs having an excellent younger core to work with, plus veteran additions like Harrison Barnes and De’Aaron Fox in tow, they need to be again in playoff rivalry subsequent season. The long run definitely seems to be brilliant, and Citadel is an enormous motive why.
Congrats, Steph!
