By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Two French players were named on the Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team for the first time in league history.
After being selected first and second overall in the 2024 NBA draft, Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and Alex Sarr of the Washington Wizards were voted in the All-Rookie First Team, alongside Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs, Zach Edey of the Memphis Grizzlies, and Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies, as announced on Tuesday.
Lithuanian Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls settled in the Second Team with Bub Carrington of the Wizards, Donovan Clingan of the Portland Trail Blazers, Yves Missi of the New Orleans Pelicans, and Kel’el Ware of the Miami Heat.
Per the press release: “San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, the 2024-25 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, has been unanimously selected to the 2024-25 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team. He received First Team votes on all 100 ballots from a global media panel.
Joining Castle on the Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team are Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey and forward Jaylen Wells, Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher and Washington Wizards forward-center Alex Sarr.
With the selection of Edey and Wells, the Grizzlies are the first team to have multiple players on the Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team in the same season since Memphis in 2019-20 (Brandon Clarke and Ja Morant). France’s Risacher and Sarr, the first and second overall picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, respectively, become the first two players from the same country outside of the United States to be named to the Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team in the same season.
The Kia NBA All-Rookie Second Team consists of Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, Wizards guard Bub Carrington, Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan, New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi and Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware.
Sarr (First Team) and Carrington (Second Team) give the Wizards’ franchise multiple players on the Kia NBA All-Rookie Team in the same season for the first time since 1963-64 (Gus Johnson and Rod Thorn).
The media voting panel selected five players for the Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team and five players for the Kia NBA All-Rookie Second Team at any position. Players received two points for each First Team vote and one point for each Second Team vote.”