Update On Former UConn Star Stephon Castle Through His First Five NBA Games
Former UConn Huskies national champion guard Stephon Castle has already had a positive impact on the San Antonio Spurs that box scores can’t fully measure.
Castle’s stats so far five games into his rookie season won’t overwhelm you, but there’s a reason Hall of Fame head coach Gregg Popovich has entrusted Castle with 20.8 minutes per game right out of the gate.
Castle looks incredible as a perimeter defender against proven NBA stars. It’s not outlandish to say that Castle was the most ready-now player selected in the 2024 NBA draft, and his defensive versatility is the reason why.
Castle didn’t look outclassed in any way guarding both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in San Antonio’s matchup with the defending Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks. Castle has also shown the ability to hold his own physically when he’s switched onto bigs down low and must stand his ground in the post.
Castle’s versatility also extends to the offensive end, where he can buy you plenty of reps at point guard but is also comfortable on the wing.
As his shooting continues to develop and his minutes continue to increase, Castle’s numbers are only going to grow, but they’ll never quite capture his impact.
Five games into his career for the 2-3 Spurs (entering Saturday), Castle is averaging 5.6 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game on just 6.6 shot attempts per contest.
He hasn’t been hitting his threes, but that will come.
Castle turned 20 years old on Friday, and the sky truly is the limit for his NBA career.
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-6cddf44b9a81eadb9d1a4c19c1b3db49.jpeg "Colin Keane")
Colin Keane is a contributing journalist for "UConn Huskies On SI." Born in Illinois, Colin grew up in Massachusetts as the third of four brothers. For his high school education, Colin attended St. Mark's School (Southborough, MA), where he played basketball and soccer and served as student body president. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Villanova University. Colin currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "UConn Huskies On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org