5 Beyond Wemby: Stephon Castle Knows Winning, Now Has Chance To Keep At It

Joining the San Antonio Spurs fresh off an NCAA title will be an adjustment for Stephon Castle, but with his winning background, he's well-positioned to be a pivotal piece in the young team's rebuilding effort.

Jul 13, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) is fouled by Portland Trail Blazers forward Alex Reese (64) during the second quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Stephon Castle hugged Cam Spencer the night his UConn Huskies won the 2024 NCAA Championship in the same way Victor Wembanyama hugged Devin Vassell after snapping an 18-game losing streak in mid-December.

Defeating Purdue, for Spencer and Castle, meant helping the Huskies reach the mountaintop for the second straight year. It also meant they'd be joining the few lucky enough to claim a collegiate championship before heading to the NBA.

For that, Castle felt lucky.

"Definitely a dream come true," Castle said of being drafted by the San Antonio Spurs just two months after winning the NCAA Tournament. "At this point in my career, it's really all I can ask for."

Jan 31, 2024; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Stephon Castle (5) reacts after a 3-point basket against the Providence Friars in the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The embrace Wembanyama and Vassell shared at mid-court inside Frost Bank Center was nowhere near as momentous.

There wasn't any championship at stake. Playoff implications were long out the window, yet the sentiment felt similar. The Spurs, for over a month, hadn't experienced winning, and with LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers in town, it didn't feel feasible. But they won.

And all they could think to do was hug.

"We never put our heads down and we never gave up," Wembanyama explained. "The easy option would have been to just give up, but nobody in the locker room had that attitude."

READ MORE: Behind the Spurs' Historic Losing Streak & Home Triumph

Now, two worlds are set to collide. Wembanyama, who hasn't won a championship of any kind — though he came close with Metropolitans 92 right before his rookie year — will be joined in San Antonio by a player who won a title in his lone collegiate season.

Castle comes from winning, and Wembanyama wants to do that with the Spurs.

An ideal pair, right?

"I feel like this is a position that any basketball player would want to be in," Castle said at his introductory press conference with the Spurs. "To play for two high-level coaches ... to be able to learn from (Gregg Popovich). I'm excited to just to be able to play for him and how much I'll grow."

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. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The incoming rookie didn't have a chance to be directly under Popovich right away. At Summer League, Spurs video coordinator Kenny Trevino took the helm of the Silver & Black and gave Castle his first exposure to NBA basketball, albeit a small dose.

An ankle injury that was treated with excessive caution cut Castle's time short in Las Vegas, but he showed promise in the one contest he played in, notching 22 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal in what ended up being a win in the book for the summer Spurs.

If those kinds of performances continue into training camp and the regular season like the Spurs expect them to — not to mention he's now going to get a lot more attention from Popovich — selecting the combo guard at No. 4 overall over the summer will continue to look like a smart move for the Spurs.

Especially considering how early on they began watching him.

"He's very versatile," Spurs general manager Brian Wright said. "He's tough. He's smart. Most times, you don't see highly-rated players go to a school and be willing to play a role. ... He was doing things (in high school) that he wasn't able to showcase at UConn because they were so good."

READ MORE: Stephon Castle, With Humility, Is Ready For Rookie Season

They had it right. Castle moved from a point guard with plenty of ball-handling responsibilities in high school to an off-ball guard for the Huskies. It wasn't that he wasn't good enough to do the former in college, but he just didn't need to: UConn had the players it needed there.

But in San Antonio? Chris Paul is joining the fold, but only for one season. After that — assuming the plan goes accordingly — offensive facilitation will be left in the hands of Castle.

"I can only imagine what [throwing lobs to Wembanyama] will be like," the rookie said.

Jul 13, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Sidy Cissoko (25) celebrates with San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) after scoring against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Next season, he'll get his chance. His shot needs to develop further — another byproduct of being a part of such a stacked college squad — but the Spurs see all the right pieces in Castle.

"He makes wonderful decisions," Popovich said. "He is going to play on the court pretty quickly."

When Castle examines his own game, he does, too.

"I have a lot of confidence in myself," the rookie said after his lone Summer League showing. "I feel like my team and our coaching staff does, too. Just to have the ability to go out and play my game has been a luxury for me."

Castle has experienced plenty of those throughout his basketball journey thus far — playing in the NBA is one on its own — and he's in line for plenty more. The rookie is set to be one of the most pivotal pieces of the Spurs' journey to the mountaintop if he plays his cards right.

And when he has his moment of embrace with Wembanyama next season or down the line, he'll have done just that.