NEWTON COUNTY – Newton County native and San Antonio Spurs star Stephon Fort has turn into ceaselessly immortalized in NBA historical past.
Fort has formally been named the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the 12 months. This comes weeks after he was named a finalist for the award alongside the Atlanta Hawks’ Zaccharie Risacher and Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells.
Within the official voting, Fort garnered 92 first place votes in comparison with Risacher’s 5 and Wells’ three. In complete, he completed with 482 complete votes, as introduced by the league.
All through the 2024-25 NBA season, it was evident that Fort can be a major contender for this award.
After being chosen fourth general by the Spurs in June 2024, Fort shined all through his 81-game season, averaging 14.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 4.1 APG. He additionally shot 42.8% from the ground and 28.5% from three-point vary.
Halfway by his rookie season, Fort spoke to The Covington Information concerning his journey within the NBA. He mentioned that becoming a member of the Spurs was the perfect vacation spot doable for him.
“I really feel prefer it was the proper scenario for me to come back in and study in 12 months 1,” Fort mentioned. “I’ve been capable of go in and make errors and be corrected by a number of the finest, so it’s been nice.”
A number of weeks following his interview with The Information, Fort shined as soon as extra, this time on a nationwide stage.
Throughout NBA All Star Weekend from Feb. 14-16, Fort turned the primary NBA participant since former No. 1 general choose Blake Griffin to be featured in all three nights of the occasion.
On Feb. 14, Fort was a member of “Staff C” throughout the Rising Stars problem, main his group to 2 victories. With the wins, his squad superior to the NBA All-Star Sport match.
Fort accounted for 18 factors, seven rebounds and 6 assists within the two match video games to turn into the 2025 Rising Stars MVP. He joined an elite listing of names to win the Rising Stars MVP distinction with NBA stars like Jamal Murray, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant who’ve gained the award previously.
On Feb. 15, the 6-foot-6 Spurs rookie was certainly one of 4 males to enter the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Whereas in the end falling quick to three-time champion Mac McClung, Fort showcased himself as among the finest dunkers on the earth, together with his ending dunk incomes an ideal 50 rating.
The following day, in Staff C’s matchup in opposition to NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal’s “OG’s,” Fort scored six factors, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Whereas his group misplaced to the polished All-Star squad, Fort held his personal in opposition to gamers like Jayson Tatum, Stephen Curry and the aforementioned Durant.
Whereas many noticed Fort’s rise to stardom throughout this 12 months’s All-Star weekend, many in Newton County knew the caliber of participant he was.
In his 4 highschool seasons with the Newton Rams, he turned a consensus five-star prospect and acquired a number of Division I presents by the tip of his junior season. He was additionally a member of the distinguished McDonald’s All-American squad in addition to turning into a gold medalist as a part of the 2022 FIBA Americas U18 championship group.
When the mud settled, Fort dedicated to the College of Connecticut the place he gained a nationwide championship.
In his one season with the Huskies, Fort averaged 11.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG and a couple of.9 APG. His efficiency earned him the accolade of 2024 Large East Freshman of the 12 months.
Whereas accidents in the end derailed the Spurs’ probabilities of making the NBA playoffs, Fort’s efforts have been robust sufficient to hold him to the Rookie of the 12 months title and have made him a reputation to observe in NBA circles for the years to come back.