Elite Stephon Castle skill proved he has future star written all over him

The San Antonio Spurs' 2025-26 season didn't end the way they had hoped, but it was still a massive success for Stephon Castle. His sophomore season was exactly what fans had dreamed of.

He improved as a scorer and defensive player while also proving that he can be a primary playmaker, even leading the team in assists.

That across-the-board improvement was made possible by an elite skill that few NBA players have. Castle ranks among the best in the league at getting downhill and attacking the paint.

Getting to the rim and finishing consistently seems simple enough but can be incredibly difficult and something only stars master. Fortunately, Castle's mastery of change of pace drives and physical finishing at the rim is difficult to stop. It also hints that he has what it takes to be a star.

Stephon Castle is elite at attacking the paint

In addition to being a physical finisher, he is an explosive athlete who can finish through or even over opponents. In addition to being a stellar finisher at the rim, he lived at the free throw line, with his 5.1 attempts per game ranking 21st in the NBA.

More telling is the fact that every player in the top 25 in that stat has been an All-Star, everyone except for Castle. The Spurs will need more of that next season with Castle being crucial to their offensive engine.

He essentially served as the Spurs point guard last season while De'Aaron Fox played more off-ball. I suspect that may change next season with Coach Mitch Johnson reverting to having Fox play the one.

That might actually help unlock Castle's full potential by constantly giving him new challenges. With him having shown drastic improvement as a shooter over the second half of last season and the playoffs, that opens up exciting possibilities.

Stephon Castle will thrive playing shooting guard full-time

In the postseason, he shot 35% on 4.5 threes per game. He also showed that he can be an efficient mid-range shooter. Playing him more off-ball would free him up to showcase his improved shooting while also making attacking closeouts easier.

Last season he shot 40% on right corner threes and has developed enough to be a decent to good off-ball threat.

That doesn't mean he won't be playing without the ball, but possibly less, giving him a chance to expand his offensive game. Even so, his knack for carving his way into the paint is a luxury.

It not only gives Castle a reliable form of offense but the Spurs as well. Equally as important, it's a rare skill for a guard his age to have, and if his shooting improvement is real, then Castle could soon become a star.

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