Just A Spurs Minute: What Does Stephon Castle Need to Do to Lock Up Rookie of the Year Race?

With Jared McCain out for the season, what does Stephon Castle have to do to cement himself as the NBA's Rookie of the Year?

Dec 19, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) in the second half against the Atlanta Hawks at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Rookie guard Stephon Castle has recently made headlines as one of the frontrunners for the NBA's Rookie of the Year after Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain was sidelined with an injury indefinitely.

Most of the conversation has swirled around whether or not Castle is even the frontrunner for the award now, but few have spoken on just what the former UConn Husky has to do in order to lock up the award. That is, until now.

To put it plainly, Castle has to shoot better. He's one of few rookies across the league averaging more than 20 minutes per contest, and with Chris Paul on borrowed time, the Spurs may need his services at the starting point guard spot sooner rather than later. That means that Castle will need a serious uptick in production from now until the end of the season to lock up the award.

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If Spurs fans were having this conversation a month ago, the air around it might be different. However, Castle's last two games have given fans and media alike cause for concern. After he dropped 22 points in the Spurs' win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Castle has yet to find double figures in either of the last two games and scored just two points in a blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Castle garners the minutes and plays within a role that should be conducive to him taking a stronger grasp on the Rookie of the Year award, but unless he finds his way out of this shooting slump, other rookies across the league might creep up on the young Spurs guard.

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