The 2024-25 Youth Movement NBA Awards: Sophomore Edition
Our own Nathan Grubel continues to hand out his NBA awards to the top young players in the league, this time discussing who has been the best of the best in the sophomore class.
Welcome to the first annual Youth Movement NBA Awards!
The goal of these awards is to celebrate the young players in the NBA in more ways than just traditional rookie awards balloted by the league. Why shouldn’t the top second- and third-year players get some recognition for improvements to their games and how well they’re playing? Not all of the players I’m referring to are quite at All-Star or All-NBA level, so unless they grab a spot on an All-Defensive team, it’s easy for them to get swept under the rug after excellent seasons because they aren’t key parts of the “championship fabric” that is the NBA postseason.
With that in mind, here are a few quick caveats:
Just like the Rookie Awards, the Sophomore and Junior Awards will NOT have “games played” qualifiers like NBA ballots do. Older players are expected to play and contribute more, but I didn’t want to put that requirement here. Games played and injuries ARE still factored in regarding where certain players finish on my ballots.
Rookie categories have been expanded to include an All-Rookie Third Team, as well as Defensive Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Rookie (Sophomore and Junior Awards also have these additional categories). This is a way to highlight those getting it done beyond the traditional box score categories that are factored into Rookie of the Year and All-Rookie teams, as well as to nominate players who saw legitimate improvement over the course of an entire season.
Over the course of the next few weeks, I’m going to break down each expanded award category and provide my “ballots” for each player class based on years of service.
Let’s keep the ball rolling and move onto the NBA’s sophomores!
*All stats are as of 4/9/2025 and are courtesy of Basketball-Reference, Synergy Sports, Dunks and Threes, and Cleaning the Glass*
NBA Sophomore of the Year Nominees
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers
Winner: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
I couldn’t imagine giving this honor to anyone else.
Victor Wembanyama has broken the collective brains of the basketball community since he was a top-tier draft prospect in France. A 7’4” center that could handle the ball like a wing, pass from the perimeter, shoot a respectable percentage from three-point range on volume, and still impact the game in the same ways as a rim-protecting center? That’s a 2K player, not someone actually in the NBA. Right?
Wrong. Wembanyama is very real, and has produced on schedule for someone projected to win countless awards and contend for championships throughout his career.
Raw numbers paint the picture of an All-Star caliber player that impacts the game from numerous areas on the floor. His advanced statistics paint an even deeper picture of someone who can make the difference in actually winning a large number of NBA games.
The San Antonio Spurs were 10.6 points per 100 possessions better this season with Wemby on the floor, per Cleaning the Glass. Opposing offenses were a considerable 9.4 points worse per 100 possessions, a mark that improved from an impressive 8.5 points per 100 during a stellar rookie campaign.
Not only did Wembanyama impact the number of points scored in a given game because of his ground coverage and length, but opponents’ types of shots considerably swung in the Spurs’ favor. Opposing teams took 4.5% fewer shots at the basket with Wembanyama on the floor, which is the difference between just protecting the rim vs. deterring drivers from entering the lane.
NBA offenses are built on the drive-and-kick foundation. It’s what leads to a considerable amount of assisted threes for a league that is hell-bent on winning the math game on a nightly basis. Wembanyama makes opposing players think twice about touching the paint, and even when players get there, they’re much less of threats when the intent is purely to pass and not to score.
Few players in the entire league change the way the game is played night-to-night more than Wembanyama does. The main criticisms with his approach are valid, as he could stand to adjust his volume of outside shots to balance the damage he’s capable of inside the arc. Even so, a player shooting 35% on over 12 threes per 100 possessions is generally a player worthy of more shots. That guy being 7’4” is something the league just hasn’t seen before.
I can’t fathom how good Wembanyama could become over the next few seasons, so long as everything checks out well given his recent blood clot condition that cut his 2024-25 season short.
Victor only appeared in 46 games this year for San Antonio, but he was available in 46 of 52 games before he was shut down, meaning he was on pace to break awards races wide open in numerous categories. All-NBA? All-Defense? Defensive Player of the Year? Most Improved? Wembanyama was on track to rack up as many trophies as he could handle.
That being said, I do still want to call out a few other players who will be discussed throughout this awards column and were in firm consideration right behind Wembanyama.
Amen Thompson and Toumani Camara both made significant improvements as offensive contributors this year, while also performing as two of the most impactful perimeter defenders across the league. Both of their teams are considerably better when each is on the floor, as they don’t need the ball in their hands to impact the game.
Thompson is an adept cutter, transition threat, and secondary playmaker. The way he plays off Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, and others balances the offense and provides an athletic release valve to utilize when a play breaks down in the halfcourt.
In Camara’s case, he doesn’t have the same reputation as one of the Portland Trail Blazers’ best playmakers, but he’s been a star in his role as a play finisher offensively while taking on one of opposing teams’ two best scorers on a nightly basis.
Both of Thompson and Camara support their clubs in ways that make everyone’s life easier, and they’re major reasons for the turnarounds each franchise has seen from last year to present. Each of them, with Ausar Thompson as a potential fourth option, are all worthy vote-getters in the Sophomore of the Year category.
NBA All-Sophomore First Team
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers
Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors
Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons
Each of these All-Sophomore teams were truly difficult to sort out, as the 2023 Draft class is loaded with key contributors in legitimately good situations.
The top three on my first team are self explanatory, given their consideration for Sophomore of the Year. The last two spots got very tricky, and the decision was essentially between a group of four players. Ultimately, I went with Ausar Thompson and Brandin Podzkiemski to round out the ballot.
In the case of Ausar, he’s been largely overshadowed by Amen’s success, and for good reason. The Houston Rockets are second in a brutal Western Conference that currently has as many as SEVEN different teams in a clear hunt for a berth to the NBA Finals. What Houston has done this year to surpass expectations is worthy of high praise, and there would be no massive increase in win total year-over-year without the defensive utility of Amen Thompson.
However, the Detroit Pistons have more than TRIPLED their win total from just one season ago, which was awful enough to capture some of the best lottery odds in the entire NBA. That’s not a progression you see in the league on a yearly basis, given that the NBA’s parity usually isn’t the same as you’d see in professional baseball or football.
And even though Ausar couldn’t start the year off with the Pistons due to a blood clot condition, he sure as hell made his presence felt in the 57 (and counting) games he’s played in since.
Both Amen and Toumani Camara have caught my eye as outstanding one-on-one defenders that can switch across multiple positions on the perimeter. Ausar has that same ability, while also being a much more impactful defensive playmaker, particularly away from the ball.
Ausar has played half of the minutes this year that Amen and Toumani have, and yet is on par with both in terms of total steals and blocks as well as the rates and frequency of each. When comparing all three players’ defensive rating splits, Ausar laps the field with opposing defenses being 3.6 points worse per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor.
Thompson jumps off the page defensively on tape, especially when playing passing lanes and rotating over for help blocks around the basket. Jalen Duren is a good shot-blocking center near the rim, but Thompson’s support from the weak side considerably improves Detroit’s overall defensive effectiveness.
I do think both Amen and Toumani have had more memorable one-on-one matchups this year holding star players to poor shooting outings, but that’s to take nothing away from how good Ausar has been as a team defender and playmaker. As his offense keeps coming along in the halfcourt, Ausar has a tremendously high ceiling of his own as a two-way hybrid forward.
For the last spot on First Team All-Sophomore, Podziemski takes it over two other incredibly deserving contenders: Chet Holmgren and Bilal Coulibaly.
Pre-All Star, Podziemski’s numbers were down in terms of efficiency compared to his rookie campaign. The Golden State Warriors bandied on as a .500 level club, with a bland offense around Stephen Curry that hadn’t quite taken the league by storm as Curry usually does with his nuclear shooting. Podziemski had fallen into that same “rut” and just didn’t look like the player that contended for Rookie of the Year votes.
Things changed for the Warriors when Jimmy Butler was brought to town. Since the trade, the Warriors are 21-5 and sitting much higher in the Western Conference standings.
One major factor in that resurgence has been Podziemski, who has skyrocketed his percentage from the field (especially from three-point range) and has done a great job in captaining second units as a lead scorer and creator for others. In the starting unit, Podz has played beautifully off the pinball passing combo of Butler and Draymond Green, with Curry as an excellent decoy to open up dribble-drive opportunities for Podz to get downhill either to the basket or to his patented mid-range game.
Podziemski isn’t an offense by himself, but within the construct of the “machine” that is the Warriors, he’s one of the best complements to the motion-oriented free-flowing symphony that is Curry, Green, and Butler. And given how he’s massively improved his game along with helping Golden State make one of the more drastic in-season improvements across the league, he’s deserving of a spot here.
NBA All-Sophomore Second Team
Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards
Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder
Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers
As mentioned, the two “snubs” that ended up on the second team were Chet Holmgren and Bilal Coulibaly.
If we’re talking pure talent, there’s no question Holmgren is one of the three best players in this class (even though he was technically drafted in 2022). Holmgren can change a game almost single-handedly as a 7-footer with some of the best shot-blocking instincts, technique, and awareness across the league. He’s continuously improved his ball-handling since coming up to the NBA level, and he’s maintained a steady efficiency on shots from all three levels on the floor.
Holmgren did miss a considerable chunk of this season, and while Victor Wembanyama found himself in the same boat, his impact and overall availability before his season-ending condition were far better this season than Holmgren. But none of this is to knock Chet. He’s one of my favorite players to watch when he’s healthy and is a huge reason why the Oklahoma City Thunder will contend for titles this season and in the years to come.
I do want to discuss Coulibaly and how impressed I am of his development year-over-year from where he was as a rookie. I’ve talked about it in a prior column, but Coulibaly’s pick-and-roll usage from his first season to his second took a massive jump. It was wise for the Washington Wizards to put the ball in his hands more to further develop his ball skills, vision, and passing.
While Coulibaly is still growing as a mid-range scorer and outside shooter, his at-rim effectiveness and ability to create for himself downhill make for a dangerous pair when he’s able to get a good screen at the top of the floor. As he continues to enhance his handle, develop counters, and better control his change of speed and direction, Coulibaly still has a reasonable path to becoming a second option on a good NBA team.
And if more of Coulibaly’s shooting comes around, his two-way outlook become scary. His on-ball defensive capabilities are right there with some of the best wing defenders in the NBA, let alone his peers in the 2023 Draft class. Bilal’s hip flexibility, bend, footwork, and ability to react are all exceptional for a player his age, especially in pick-and-roll defense.
Normally, rookies and sophomores struggle with the physicality of the NBA out of the gate and can struggle navigating through screens defensively. Coulibaly came in ready on day one to match up with opposing guards in ball screen actions, and has done his part opposite some of the better offensive options across the league.
Efficiency as a scorer/shooter is the main thing holding Coulibaly back for now. He has some slick passing vision on the move, coupled with his tremendous defensive efforts. I’m still very much in on Bilal long term as one of the best prospects out of the 2023 draft class.
Cason Wallace and Keyonte George aren’t mentioned enough when compared to their 2023 peers because they aren’t the “flashy” standouts on their respective teams. But when looking at their overall production, as well as studying the little ways in which they stand out on tape, both were worthy inclusions on my second team.
George’s scoring efficiency hasn’t improved year-over-year from where he was as a rookie, but he’s still capable of putting on a show each night off the bench as a super-sub for the Utah Jazz. Not only is he a lethal (albeit streaky) shooter, but the one part of his game that continues to grow is his passing. When factoring in possessions plus assists, per Synergy, George has increased his percentile ranking by 13 percentage points.
His pick-and-roll numbers haven’t seen as large of increases in effectiveness, but in watching the tape, George has a much better feel for when to look for his shot and when to dish the rock, both in transition and the halfcourt. Playing point guard is one of the most difficult roles in the NBA due to the blend of communication and processing it requires, so seeing George grow as a high-usage creator in different aspects points to him becoming a player capable of playing starter’s minutes on a quality team. He’s taken on a large chunk of usage for the Jazz since coming into the league, and I’ve seen enough in different pieces (especially in cutting down his turnovers) to award him with a second team selection.
In the case of Wallace, he’s been a star in the role that Oklahoma City has asked him to play. He doesn’t soak up a lot of usage, nor does he necessarily need the ball in his hands to make the most of his game. Wallace is content to spread the floor from the corners, lift to the wing, get the ball in a secondary or tertiary action, and either connect on a shot or swing the ball where it needs to go. That sounds simple enough, but Wallace came in able to read the game and fit into a free-flowing offensive system from day one.
Wallace knows where he needs to be and how he needs to play off others in order to succeed. Factor in his individual defensive efforts (even guarding some switches in the post!), and his two-way case becomes an easy one to make for an All-Sophomore selection given how efficient of a guard he is as an offensive operator.
Last, but certainly not least, it was so nice to see Scoot Henderson find more of his NBA footing after a rookie campaign that a lot of observers wanted to forget on his behalf.
Henderson didn’t live up to expectations last year as the third-overall pick. He was inefficient, turned the ball over in the pick-and-roll, and had his fair share of uphill battles defensively at the point of attack. Not to mention that his struggles shooting the ball from the outside were already noted before the draft.
This year, Henderson improved in essentially every area across the board. A portion of his Synergy rankings still aren’t the kindest to the young point guard, but watching the tape, Henderson’s flashes have been much more outspoken this season.
As I wrote a few months ago, Scoot put together the best stretch of his career in January and February. He shot the cover off the ball and distributed it all over the floor as a lead guard while limiting mistakes. All season long, Henderson’s been more engaged on defense, improving his steals marks year-to-year.
Most importantly, it’s been fun to watch Scoot be Scoot again. His dynamic flair, downhill aggressiveness, and midrange craft all make him one of the best young guard prospects in the NBA. The talent is there for him to become an All-Star, and it’s been a joy to see more of it progress during his sophomore season.
NBA All-Sophomore Third Team
Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks
Gradey Dick, Toronto Raptors
Anthony Black, Orlando Magic
Julian Strawther, Denver Nuggets
Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets
Two players who were placed on the third team off the bat due to injuries were Brandon Miller and Dereck Lively II. Both would’ve been in contention for higher slots and other sophomore honors had they been healthy for a full season, as they were trending in the right direction on both ends of the floor.
Miller’s shooting and ball-handling were making significant strides before he went out, while Lively was continuing to soak up rebounds, protect the rim, and make heady passes off quick reads in the paint for the Mavericks. Overall, I’m optimistic Miller will come back better than ever next year. In Lively’s case, he just made his return to the floor in order to help Dallas get ready for a play-in tussle in the coming week.
Gradey Dick showed some really promising flashes this season while healthy as not only a shooter, but as a more complete scorer than in his rookie campaign. His numbers finishing at the rim didn’t take drastic leaps forward, but on tape, his aggressiveness and willingness to get downhill and draw contact have been evident and noted for the Toronto Raptors.
That ability to at least attack the basket off a closeout and either finish or kick back out to another shooter is paramount for any role player in the league. Dick’s progression as someone capable of making the most of those possessions that aren’t just open spot-up looks from three or curls off screens in the midrange has been very nice to see during his sophomore season.
Anthony Black has had a number of clutch moments for the Orlando Magic this year as a corner three-point shooter while also posting a number of transition highlights on self-created finishes and dishes to his open teammates on the break. Black’s end-to-end game is as fun as any to watch, and something that’s a welcome addition in Orlando given the Magic’s inefficient halfcourt scoring. Orlando has been in injury hell this year, so Black’s overall progression hasn’t taken the leap I might’ve initially expected coming in. But he’s done enough on the floor to cement himself as one of the team’s best long-term bets moving forward given his positional size, burst, creativity, and improving jumpshot.
The last spot on my All-Sophomore teams belongs to Julian Strawther of the Denver Nuggets. I had a few other names in mind for this selection, but none of them showed improvements within their role like Strawther did.
Denver has certainly been through ups and downs, especially given the recent firings of both Michael Malone and Calvin Booth. But the show must go on, and that means everyone who is getting minutes has to step up in times of need. That includes a wing off the bench like Strawther.
Coming out of Gonzaga, Strawther had a first-round case as one of the more “complete” glue guys in the 2023 Draft class. He was involved in a large number of off-ball actions for the Bulldogs hunting open spot-up looks, cuts to the basket, and transition finishes, and he converted on a high percentage of all of them.
Anyone can figure out how to mold their games around a generational talent like Nikola Jokic because he does in fact make EVERYONE better. But someone who can hit open shots, cut, and run the floor? Sign them up to see improvements alongside Jokic offensively.
And to Strawther’s credit, he’s done his job. I get the argument of “anyone can look good next to Jokic,” but to that I say the job still has to be done. Strawther has had his moments stepping in off the bench and knocking down clutch shots. His defense still leaves something to be desired, but I’ll gladly take a reliable offensive wing off the bench any day on a veteran team looking to contend in the playoffs.
NBA Defensive Sophomore of the Year Nominees
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers
Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons
Winner: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Most of the write-up here was already done above when I outlined Victor Wembanyama’s Sophomore of the Year honors. The way Wemby can change a basketball game defensively is as unique as you’ll see in the league both today and throughout history. He’s that important of a player.
Ask any player around the league about Wembanyama, either of the Thompson twins, or Toumani Camara, and the answer you’ll likely get is that they’re pains in the ass to go up against for different reasons. Wembanyama changes how often shots are taken around the basket; the Thompsons are freak athletes with quick hands and bursts to pick off errant passes and block dunk attempts; and Camara’s intensity face-guarding his opponents is just as irritating to opposing players who are looking to get off his ball denial defense and make things happen for their respective teams.
But even in one of the most talented defensive classes I can remember evaluating in 14 years and counting of scouting, I’ve NEVER seen a player impact the game on that side of the ball like Wembanyama. Even Rudy Gobert, who has won numerous DPOY awards, isn’t the same type of player with one or both feet outside the paint like Wembanyama is. He’s a force on the offensive and defensive glass: a walking “stock”.
Not only is Wembanyama the best defender in his draft class until further notice, but he also has my vote for best defensive player in the NBA.
NBA Most Improved Sophomore Nominees
Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers
Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Winner: Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
I really, really wanted to hand this award to Scoot Henderson given his improvement from last season.
But I also couldn’t in good faith NOT give it to Amen Thompson, who shattered any expectations I had for him during his second year in the NBA.
Numbers can paint a variety of narratives (both good and bad) within basketball, and frankly any professional industry. Amen’s steal and block numbers, opposing field goal marks, and ratings all point to him as one of the best players in his sophomore class.
When I flip on the tape to watch the Houston Rockets, however, the feeling in the game just changes when Thompson steps on the floor. It’s as if everyone knows that the best athlete in the league can change the game at the drop of a hat. And guess what? Thompson does that on a lot of nights.
Whether it’s teaming up with Tari Eason to form one of the best defensive forward duos in the league, creating chaos in the open court, or taking on an individual matchup holding them to single-digit efforts for important stretches within games, Thompson can reshape the complexity of a game by himself in ways few others can. That’s why he’s one of the most versatile and impactful defenders in the league.
Even on offense, Thompson knows who he is and what his best shots are on the floor. He’s been taking some more jump shots of late, be it mid-range pull-up looks or open corner threes, but Thompson doesn’t force anything from the perimeter. He lets the game come to him and knows how to use his incredible speed to find gaps within the defense and either score at the rim or kick out to an open shooter.
He’s been willing to act as a screen-and-roll threat in actions at the top of the floor, has played as a cutter off passers like Alperen Sengun, and has made life easier for guards like Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green because of how he can bend defenses and create open spot-up looks.
Thompson was viewed almost exclusively as a play finisher during his rookie season with enough of his passing flashes on display at Overtime Elite. But with more opportunity, Thompson’s ability to create with and without the ball has become a crucial aspect of the Rockets’ success and how the team operates at its core. It’s even allowed Ime Udoka to run double-big lineups with Steven Adams and Sengun despite spacing concerns. He’s such a talented driver and cutter that he can create angles within those more “confined” offensive sets that few others can. It’s incredible to watch him work off of so many different lineup combinations in Houston, allowing the team to play a number of styles to maximize its talent and advantages against opponents.
Amen Thompson is a two-way terror in the best way and has become one of my favorite basketball players to watch. His leap may have been expected given his draft status, but the leap he’s taken is one that’s put him in future conversations for All-Defense honors and All-NBA honors.