The Spurs rebuild has gained some steam since this past summer. They had two top-ten picks in this past draft after drafting Victor Wembanyama in 2023, and the optimism in the fanbase was palpitating.
With their picks, they took Stephon Castle, a 6’6” combo guard out of the University of Connecticut, and traded the number eight pick to Minnesota, who drafted Rob Dillingham.
The immediate trade of a top-ten pick left fans baffled, but it appears Brian Wright knew EXACTLY what he was doing. He only needed one player. He knew his guy. He drafted Stephon Castle, and he looks like a genius because of it.
Stephon Castle was the perfect choice for the Spurs and has been one of the best players to emerge from the draft.
The Spurs as an organization have quite the track record over the last 26 years. Five NBA championships, multiple Hall of Famers, a propensity to win 50 games most of the time—the list can go on and on about how well the organization has been run. Castle's selection is just the latest example.
Scouting and drafting Castle is another feather in the cap for Spurs
Castle has provided instant impact for San Antonio this season, averaging 11.6 points per game over 41 games this season, earning starts in 24 of those. Castle’s shooting percentages stand to use some improvement, but that’s to be expected from a rookie getting used to the NBA game.
He’s got top-level athleticism. Castle can get to the basket whenever he wants to, even as a rookie. His ability to slash surely was one of the first traits the Spurs fell in love with.
Although Castle was drafted as a point guard, he’s played more on the wing for the team this season, spending 68% of his time there. He’s only played about 32% of his time while manning the point.
This versatility has allowed him to provide much-needed, quality man-to-man defense. He’s averaging just below a steal per game (0.8) in 25.2 minutes per game. His defensive wins shared (number of wins contributed by a player due to defense) are nearly one full win (0.6). For a player who plays barely half the game, this is a significant number.
To top it all off, Castle’s an exciting player. It's just been recently announced that he’ll be participating in the Slam Dunk Contest at this year’s All-Star Game.
The early returns on Castle’s rookie season put him at or near the top of the class. Yet again, the Spurs show their organizational acumen in picking the right player.