NBA Mock Draft: Houston Rockets Strengthen Rising Backcourt with Stephon Castle

The UConn product's importance as a one-time champion in his lone college season has led to a projection as one of the best combo guard's in this year's draft.

Connecticut Huskies guard Stephon Castle (5) shoots the ball past Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) and Purdue Boilermakers forward Mason Gillis (0) during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship, Monday, April 8, 2024, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY

With the 2024 NBA Draft looming, media outlets are shoring up their draft boards ever so slightly while the NBA teams of championship contention are strategizing their next move in the draft. With the college withdrawal deadline and NBA draft combine in the rear, decisions are still being swirled around and analyzed as the draft creeps up in late June.

For Stephon Castle, the one-year guard at UConn who helped the Huskies reach their second consecutive national title, he's continued to rise up on big boards as his combination of size, creation and downhill force has made him a desirable prospect in his class. He's became more and more longed after as spring rolls into summer, with teams inside the top-ten honing in on their potential selections.

Here, we'll briefly discuss his possible fit with the Houston Rockets, who hold the No. 3 pick in this year's draft and finished 11th in the Western Conference with a 41-41 record.

As we outline Castle's potential landing spot in Houston, it would be an interesting one.

He's voiced his desire to be a primary ball handler and lead guard -- fitting alongside Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green and now-sophomore Amen Thompson, the core of the Rockets' backcourt -- Castle could certainly be that kind of creator he is wanting to be, just in that second unit. And his ability to work off the ball could also be interweaved throughout his lead man capabilities, allowing him to build on his skill set as a primary ball handler while also providing immediate value as an offenive creator off the ball.

With a truly solid defensive scheme and personnel, Castle's fit within this lineup would be fairly seamless, more than likely taking over the backup point guard role of Aaron Holiday while pairing him alongside Cam Whitmore in the second unit. But on the court with Alperen Sengun, that could be an intriguing offensive dynamic as two rim-hungry scorers.

Castle is a guard who should have a strong chance a highly valuable impact in his opening season in the league, and is one who could help a team reach a few more wins than they otherwise would have.

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