Sports

NBA Rookie Ladder Vol. 7: Stephon Castle Still Leads The Way

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By
Ben Pfeifer
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Ben Pfeifer Sports Editor

Ben Pfeifer graduated from the University of Missouri with degrees in Psychology and Journalism. He has worked in basketball scouting covering the NBA and the draft for over a half-decade, working for various outlets. Now, he covers the NBA, the draft and high school basketball.

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Published15 Mar 2025

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NBA Rookie Ladder

We’ve hit the home stretch of the regular season, with teams fighting for playoff spots or lottery positioning. It’s time for another NBA Rookie Ladder (here’s last month’s), breaking down this incredibly flat and fluid rookie class. There hasn’t been much shifting at the top, so we’ll spend time discussing some less heralded or productive rookies who haven’t hit our 15-minute per game cutoff for our NBA Rookie Ladder. 

*Currently injured

**On G League assignment 

Jared McCain Memorial Tier One 

*Jared McCain

Impact Rotation Player

  1. Stephon Castle
  2. Jaylen Wells
  3. Zach Edey
  4. Ajay Mitchell*
  5. Zaccharie Risacher

Positive Play By Rookie Standards

  1. Kel’el Ware
  2. Alex Sarr
  3. Kyle Filipowski
  4. Matas Buzelis
  5. Isaiah Collier
  6. Tristan Da Silva
  7. Yves Missi
  8. Donovan Clingan
  9. Dalton Knecht
  10. Kyshawn George
  11. Ron Holland II
  12. Quinten Post
  13. Karlo Matkovic
  14. Carlton Carrington

Flashes/Inconsistent Play

  1. Ryan Dunn
  2. Jonathan Mogbo*
  3. Ja’Kobe Walter*
  4. Jamal Shead
  5. Keaton Wallace**
  6. Justin Edwards
  7. Cody Williams
  8. KJ Simpson**
  9. Damion Baugh**
  10. Tidjane Salaun**

Reed Sheppard

The third overall pick of 2024 couldn’t stay on the floor early in his career, struggling to contribute at all offensively. After a few nuclear G League games, Sheppard bounced back up to the NBA level with the Houston Rockets. His defense looked stout even during his early season lull, as Sheppard’s elite reflexes and hand-eye coordination (2.4 percent steal and block rate) quickly translated to the NBA.

Sheppard landed high in the draft largely for his offensive talents, which haven’t shone through this season. He’s looked surprisingly timid throughout the year and his size hinders his ability to get to the basket and work through physicality. A 25-point performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder in early March might help inspire some confidence for the rookie.

He’s currently battling a right thumb injury but Sheppard looked like a real player against an elite Thunder defense. Critically, he went 3-of-7 beyond the arc. Sheppard shot a scorching 52.1 percent from deep at Kentucky but hasn’t replicated that shot-making dominance yet in the NBA. Despite his rocky start, Sheppard deserves some benefit of the doubt and flashes like we’ve seen late in the year should help maintain optimism for his long-term future.

Quinten Post

The Golden State Warriors unearthed a gem with rookie big man Quinten Post, the 52nd overall pick in the 2024 Draft. Post represents an always intriguing archetype of tall centers who space the floor. That’s helped Post find a home in Golden State, converting 41.7 percent of an enormous 9.2 3-point attempts per 75 possessions. Since the beginning of February, he’s averaged 9.2 points on 60.5 percent true shooting as he continues to earn the trust of head coach Steve Kerr.

He’s more than a standstill shooter; Post is capable of running off of basic movement in Golden State’s offensive flow and quickly spotting up in transition. Golden State’s offensive improves by 4.3 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor, primarily due to his floor-spacing and adequate handling coordination to initiate offense from the perimeter.

Post bleeds some value on the defensive end, as his slower feet and lack of strength often hinder his pick-and-roll and interior impact. Despite his height, he shoots under 50 percent at the rim, limiting him to playing on the outside. But Post has done enough to possibly stick in the NBA as a role player, especially for a Warriors team built to accentuate his strengths.

Karlo Matkovic

To fill their gaping frontcourt hole, the New Orleans Pelicans signed Karlo Matkovic away from his Spanish league team after selecting him 52nd overall during the 2022 Draft. Since entering New Orleans’ rotation in February, the rookie Matkovic has proven himself a viable NBA big man and a much-needed bright spot amid a disastrous season. Matkovic has played 23.2 minutes per game since the beginning of February, averaging 8.9 points and six rebounds on 64.5 percent true shooting.

Matkovic excels as a play-finisher, capitalizing on the gravity of Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III to score from all over. His true shooting and rim efficiency place second among all eligible rookies this season. Matkovic’s explosiveness, touch and shot-making prowess (34.2 percent from deep this season) pair him well with creators and high-end offensive talents.

His defensive consistency is a work in progress and he lacks a bit of size to play center long-term. He ranks second among rookies in block rate (6.3 percent), providing some optimism for his eventual defensive ceiling. Matkovic looks like a potential rotation piece for years to come for the Pelicans, something they won’t take for granted during a season like this one.

Terrence Shannon Jr.

For a brief seven-game stretch during the middle of February, Terrence Shannon Jr. began to break out. Logging 25 minutes per night during that period, he played like a solid rotation wing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 13.7 points on 60.4 percent true shooting. He’s fallen out of the rotation since, playing 10 or fewer minutes in five of Minnesota’s last six games.

The 27th overall pick flashed NBA quality traits in this rookie year run, notching some big performances against the Thunder. Shannon is an electric slasher, attacking the rim with impunity whenever he catches the ball. He finishes a solid 65.2 percent of his shots at the hoop this season, driving with confidence and decisiveness most rookies don’t have.


Shannon’s ferocity extends to the defensive end, where his quickness, twitch and power let him slide and mirror the ball. The Wolves are stacked with young, athletic wings including Shannon, who potentially looks like a valuable rotation piece and a massive luxury for an ascending Minnesota team. 

All stats featured in the NBA Rookie Ladder are accurate prior to games played on March 14.