Sochan slams door shut for Stephon Castle in Rookie of the Year debate

San Antonio had seven players in double-digits in last night's win over Philadelphia. Stephon Castle was a major reason for that. He attacked the paint and found his teammates all night, running the offense like a seasoned veteran. The rookie ended the night with 17 points, 14 assists, five rebounds, three steals, and a block. It was an all-around game, and Castle again showed why he was a lottery pick.

When the UConn star was selected at number four overall, the pundits knew that the Spurs got a good one. Nobody knew that it would look like this. Castle has a unique style to his game, but his determination is that of past greats, giving him even more upside than initially thought. It's why he'll win Rookie of the Year, and if there was any doubt about that, Jeremy Sochan shut it down.

Castle's consistency should easily win him the award

Spurs reporter Carolina Teague asked Sochan a great question because it allowed the Polish Prince to laud his young teammate for more than 30 seconds straight, truly nailing the reason the ROY race is over, and it boils down to one word: consistency. Castle has been the best rookie in the NBA this season, almost from the start of the year to the end.

It's why you'll see his face firmly planted at the top of NBA.com's Rookie Ladder when you go back through the weekly updates. Alex Sarr, Jaylen Wells, and Zaccharie Risacher have all had solid inaugural seasons. Steph's has been stellar, even putting himself in conversations with LeBron James.

Bron dropped 22 points, 14 assists, nine rebounds, four steals, and a block against the New Orleans Hornets on December 26, 2004. He was 19 years old. Castle is only one year older than James was when he pulled off a similar feat. You must always be careful when comparing young players to all-time greats, but these things can't summarily be dismissed, either.

Sometimes, you can predict a player's greatness early by the determination they play with early on. It was easy to see in guys like Kawhi Leonard and Giannis Antetokounmpo during their rookie seasons, and Castle has the same drive.

The rook has been relentless in his approach, and everyone from Spurs Nation to his opponents and teammates has taken notice. At the very end of the clip above, Sochan was asked if he believes Castle has the Rookie of the Year race wrapped up. Jeremy, while laughing, simply answered the question with another, "Is it even a question?"

No, it's not. It's a wrap. Everyone knows it.