Stephon Castle
Week after week, Stephon Castle has improved immensely, continuing to become more of a problem in the league with the San Antonio Spurs. In October, the rookie contributed a little more than five and a half points, whereas in March, he dropped nearly 20 points per game. In addition, the guard rebounded a little more than four balls with four and a half assists per match. Rewinding to Feb. 7, Castle put on a career-high showing against the Charlotte Hornets. The Georgia native led the team with 33 points, cashing in three out of five attempts from deep and going seven for 10 within the arc. Additionally, in the team’s recent clash with the Detroit Pistons, the 20-year-old knocked down just one of his four buckets from three, nailing six of 11 shots from two. The former Husky ended the night with 19 points, the second-highest mark for San Antonio. However, seeing the guard in the playoffs is unlikely, as San Antonio holds a 31-40 record, sitting at No. 13 in the Western Conference, and is without star center Victor Wembanyama. Regardless of this, Castle remains the favorite to win Rookie of the Year, per the NBA.
Donovan Clingan
Similar to Castle, Donovan Clingan has improved each month, both in scoring and rebounding the ball. At the start of his campaign with the Portland Trail Blazers, the center averaged nearly five points per contest, which grew to a little more than six points in November. The big man declined in December and January but flipped the switch by registering seven and a half points in February and eight per match in March.
In addition, Clingan not only tops Portland with a little more than one and a half blocks, but also leads the team with nearly seven and a half boards per game, according to ESPN. Despite losing their recent clash against the Cleveland Cavaliers, “Cling Kong” notched 18 points, cashing in two of his three shots beyond the arc and going four for seven within the field. Moreover, the former Husky snatched the rock 12 times and invited the Cavaliers to the block party three times. Regardless of potentially missing the postseason, as the team holds the No. 12 spot in the Western Conference, the future looks bright for the 21-year-old.
Cam Spencer
Cam Spencer experienced an unusual rookie year with the Memphis Grizzlies after suffering an ankle injury in October and fracturing his thumb in January, per Fox Sports. In addition, the 24-year-old bounced between the G-League and the main roster, vying for a spot on Memphis’ roster. Despite the setbacks, Spencer thrived with the Memphis Hustle G-League team, contributing nearly 20.5 points per contest.
Adding on, the former Husky drew attention against the Phoenix Suns on March 10 after tallying a career-high 16 points with Memphis. Spencer stuck around for the franchise’s following six clashes but declined in on-court time. With that said, the Maryland native took advantage of every opportunity and knocked it out of the park. Additionally, the team’s season is still alive, as they sit at the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.
Jordan Hawkins
Over the campaign, Jordan Hawkins has fluctuated in points scored. For example, in the New Orleans Pelicans’ recent two matchups, the guard struggled to perform at the same level. Against the Pistons, Hawkins cashed in 25 points, hitting six of his 11 three-pointers while going perfect from two. However, against the Philadelphia 76ers the following night, the 22-year-old ended with nine points, only knocking down one of nine deep shots and finishing three of five attempts within the arc. Turning to the playoffs, the Pelicans are mathematically eliminated, holding a 20-53 record and sitting at No. 14 in the Western Conference.
Andre Jackson Jr.
Andre Jackson Jr. shined the most in January, racking up nearly four and a half points and snagging a little more than three and a half balls per game. However, Jackson’s minutes slowly reduced to a little more than four minutes per night. In addition, the former Husky last performed for seven minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 20. The guard notched three points, two boards and stole two balls. Even though it looked like Jackson had secured a spot on the team, he continues fighting for an opportunity. As for the playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks have clinched a spot in the postseason, holding the No. 6 seed.
Adama Sanogo
Adama Sanogo sits in free agency waiting to get picked up, after the Chicago Bulls waived him on Feb. 19. The team finalized the decision after finding out the 22-year-old will miss four weeks, after suffering a right ailing knee, per CBS Sports.