NBA Awards Finalists Announced Amid Exciting Playoff Action

NEW YORK, NY — The NBA has unveiled its finalists for the 2024-25 regular season awards, highlighting standout players as playoffs ramp up.

Among the major awards, Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs leads the pack as a finalist for Kia NBA Rookie of the Year. He made a significant impact in his debut season, showcasing his talents with a near triple-double against the Denver Nuggets and a 33-point game against the Charlotte Hornets.

Castle, the No. 4 overall pick, is competing against Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks and Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies. “I feel like, at this point, I pretty much got it locked up,” Castle said confidently with four games remaining in the regular season.

Additional finalists include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, and Giannis Antetokounmpo for Kia MVP. Gilgeous-Alexander’s consistent performance has been pivotal in leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a remarkable 68 wins this season.

The Coach of the Year race is also heating up, with J.B. Bickerstaff of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kenny Atkinson of the Detroit Pistons making headlines. Bickerstaff led the Cavaliers with significant achievements, while Atkinson transformed his team into title contenders without major roster changes.

Finalists for Kia Defensive Player of the Year include Daniels, who has made substantial contributions defensively throughout the season.

The announcements come as teams begin their playoff journeys. The NBA is set to reveal winners for various awards throughout the postseason, adding to the excitement of the league.

This week’s winners will include the Kia NBA Sixth Man Award and Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year, among others. The complete awards announcement schedule is available on NBA Communications’ official channels.