Stephon Castle leads the way in 'Sophomore' Ladder

As the All-Star break wraps up, we take a look at the league's best second-year players this season.

Feb. 21, 2026 at 11:31am

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Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs tops the 'Sophomore' Ladder, a ranking of the best second-year players in the NBA. Castle, the reigning Rookie of the Year, has taken his game to new heights, averaging 16.5 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists per game. Other standouts include Donovan Clingan of the Portland Trail Blazers, Alex Sarr of the Washington Wizards, and Ajay Mitchell of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Why it matters

The Class of 2024 has faced some narratives about being a 'down year' between the arrival of Victor Wembanyama in 2023 and the highly anticipated 2025 draft class. However, this group of sophomores is proving they have a lot of talent and potential, with several players making significant improvements from their rookie seasons.

The details

Stephon Castle, the No. 4 overall pick in 2024, has been the standout of the sophomore class so far. He's averaging career-highs in points, rebounds and assists, and recently recorded his second triple-double of the season. Donovan Clingan of the Trail Blazers is the only player in the class averaging a double-double, while Alex Sarr of the Wizards has improved his scoring and shooting efficiency. Ajay Mitchell of the Thunder has been a key part of the team's success, though he's missed time recently due to injury.

  • The 'Sophomore' Ladder is being presented during the All-Star break, providing an appropriate time to check in on the players who competed a year ago for the Rookie of the Year award.
  • Stephon Castle won the Rookie of the Year award last season.

The players

Stephon Castle

The No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Castle is the reigning Rookie of the Year and is leading the 'Sophomore' Ladder with averages of 16.5 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists per game.

Donovan Clingan

The Portland Trail Blazers' big man is the only player in the sophomore class averaging a double-double, with 11.6 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.

Alex Sarr

The No. 2 overall pick in 2024, Sarr is scoring nearly 22 points per 36 minutes and has improved his shooting accuracy from 39.9% to 49.6%.

Ajay Mitchell

The Thunder guard has been a key part of the team's success, with Oklahoma City going 37-6 when he plays and just 5-8 without him.

Matas Buzelis

The Bulls' second-year forward has shown flashes of potential, though he's faced challenges with the team's roster changes and chemistry.

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What they’re saying

“We might be overshadowed by how good the next two classes have been, but we still have a pretty good class. I'm trying to do my part at least. A lot of guys haven't been playing as well as they want to, but we have a lot of potential in our class.”

— Stephon Castle

“I think we're a little bit slept on. There were a lot of narratives going into the Draft about how we were going to perform. You look down the line, there's a lot of good players – maybe we don't have a star yet, but we're gonna fill a roster.”

— Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies swingman

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This 'Sophomore' Ladder highlights the depth and potential of the Class of 2024, which has faced some doubts but is proving it has a lot of talented players who can make an impact in the NBA.