RISING STARS: 5 facts about each athlete up for Newcomer of the Year at the Houston Sports Awards

The Houston Sports Awards are right around the corner and five phenomenal athletes relatively new to the Bayou City are up for a big honor.

The event celebrates Houston’s sports legends, as well as the rising star rookies already making their mark on our city and their teams. Five young players are nominated for Newcomer of the Year, but only one will win.

The five nominees are listed below in alphabetical order by their first name. Learn about each one, and then jump down into the comments section below to tell us who you think will win!

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Amine Bassi ⚽ Houston Dynamo (#8) - Age 25

1. Bassi was born in Bezons, France and is of Moroccan descent.
2. He signed with the Dynamo in January 2023 and went on to lead the team with ten goals in league play.
3. Dynamo general manager Pat Onstad described Bassi as a “creative attacking player” and noted he had the “versality to play different positions” when Bassi was first signed.
4. The Houston Dynamo forward earned the Golden Boot Award after finishing with fifteen goals in all competitions.
5. Bassi is the first player in MLS history to score a penalty kick in four consecutive games.

C.J. Stroud 🏈 Houston Texans (#7) - Age 22

1. In high school, Stroud led Rancho Cucamonga to the state semifinals, and secured his status as a five-star prospect who was rated as one of the nation’s top pro style quarterbacks.
2. Stroud played for Ohio State in college, where he became the school’s only two-time finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
3. He was selected by the Houston Texans with the second overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
4. The Texans rookie quarterback started his career by attempting a record 191 passes without throwing an interception.
5. Stroud was named Offensive Rookie of the Month for September

Jabari Smith, Jr. 🏀 Houston Rockets (#10) - Age 20

1. Smith was born in Fayetteville, Georgia. His father Jabari Smith, Sr. had a four-year career in the NBA in the early 2000s.
2. The power forward played college ball at Auburn University.
3. He was drafted in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft. He was the third overall pick, making him the highest drafted player ever to come out of Auburn.
4. Smith is the first player in Rockets franchise to average 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in three consecutive games since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1985.
5. In his first year, Smith was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team.

Tank Dell 🏈 Houston Texans (#3) - Age 24

1. Before transferring to the University of Houston, Dell played for Independence Community College. In ten games, he had 52 receptions and eight touchdowns.
2. Dell played three seasons with UH and appeared in 32 games. He caught 211 passes and scored 28 touchdowns.
3. The wide receiver was selected by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
4. Dell set the Houston Texans franchise rookie record for most receiving yards in a game.
5. Dell was nicknamed Tank as a baby reportedly because of his large head. His actual name is Nathaniel.

Yanier Diaz ⚾ Houston Astros (#21) - Age 25

1. According to the Houston Astros website: “Yainer’s first name is pronounced as “YIGH-ner” with the first syllable (YIGH) rhyming with the word sigh...according to Yainer, the Y in his first name is pronounced at the midway point between a hard Y and a soft J, but not close to a hard J.”
2. Diaz was born and raised in Azua, Dominican Republic.
3. Diaz was first signed, when he was 18 years old, by the Cleveland organization in Dec. 2016. He was traded to Houston in 2021 and eventually added to the Astros 40-man roster in Sept. 2022. He accrued 35 days of Major League service in 2022 but did not appear on a postseason roster, so he entered 2023 as a rookie.
4. In his first MLB season, Diaz hit .282 with 23 home runs and 60 RBI.
5. The catcher hit a home run every 16.3 plate appearances. That stat resulted in him being ranked near the top of the league’s best home run hitters.

Want to see who wins for yourself? Tickets are on sale now for the Houston Sports Awards. Space is limited, so don’t wait to secure your seat.