San Antonio Spurs: Stephon Castle Should Thrive Next to Victor Wembanyama

The Spurs’ newest rookie will have all the tools to succeed moving forward.

Jul 13, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) walks up court during the third quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Prior to his selection at the No. 4 spot in the 2024 NBA Draft, it was no secret the San Antonio Spurs were high on UConn guard Stephon Castle. And for good reason.

Standing at 6-foot-6 with a highly malleable skillset, Castle was one of the top prospects in the draft. And he especially should be slated to thrive in tandem with the top up-and-coming player in the NBA.

In his freshman season in San Antonio, soon-to-be superstar Victor Wembanyama put together, most simply, one of the best rookie campaigns ever.

The counting stats alone jump out — 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals and a whopping 3.6 blocks per game — but still didn’t do justice to his overall impact.

At 7-foot-4 with a near-8-foot wingspan, Wembanyama was already the sole focus for most of San Antonio’s opposition. And that will especially be the case moving forward. And that should work in Castle’s favor.

With the Huskies, Castle was able to toggle between roles, running some lead guard reps while also functioning as a defensive stopper at the three. He’ll likely do similar things in San Antonio, eventually moving into a full-time point guard role if his handle, passing and decision-making continue to evolve.

Regardless of how Castle slots into the lineup, Wembanyama is set to take an enormous amount of pressure off of him, both offensively and defensively. Skying for lobs is much easier with an unprecedented frame. And his defensive production around the rim speaks for itself.

Castle will undoubtedly still need a few seasons to get his sea legs. But he should be in line to become a longtime starter next to Wembanyama.

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