Sochan spills beans on hilarious Stephon Castle prank after Mavericks win

There was nothing but good vibes after the Spurs dispatched the Mavericks 126-116 in a high-scoring affair. The team deserves that after the rough year they've had. Things haven't been easy for the Silver and Black, and fans have been critical despite the obvious adversity. None of that mattered tonight.

Hazing is a tradition that goes back much further than modern sports. Thankfully, it's evolved over the years from cruel, sometimes ruthless bullying to harmless fun and practical jokes. Rookies get the brunt of it in the NBA, and even though Stephon Castle is having a sensational season, he's not exempt.

Mamu may have been the ringleader of the Castle prank

Sandro Mamukelashvili may not get much playing time when everyone's healthy, but he's always good for team spirit. He's one of those guys that should stick around for years, whether he plays more or not. He could adopt a Matt Bonner/Udonis Haslem-esque role for the Silver and Black if he's going to bring this type of energy to the locker room.

Spurs reporter Carolina Teague got Jeremy Sochan to reveal that Mamu was the one who told him about it in the first place. The way he describes it, it's a safe bet that the former Seton Hall hooper was at least partially responsible for having Castle's tires removed.

You don't hear about the pranks the San Antonio guys play on their rookies too often. First-year players usually just have responsibilities these days. However, De'Aaron Fox exposed Castle as one who shuns his rookie duties. The prank sounds like it was a hilariously direct response to Steph's disregard for NBA tradition.

Maybe the NCAA champion will shape up for the remaining games and remember to bring snacks on the plane, but only time will tell. As long as he continues to hoop with ferocity, showing all-star and borderline all-NBA potential, he'll be fine in the eyes of the fans. Castle has been tremendous this season.

The 20-year-old from Georgia is a lock to win Rookie of the Year if he maintains his level of play. The last two games against the Mavericks weren't his strongest performances, but those are likely just a blip. He's played well for an overwhelming portion of the season, considering this is his first year playing more than 40 games in a season.

Castle averages 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He leads all rookies in points and steals, is fourth in assists, and is one of the best defenders in his class. He may have had to deal with the case of the missing tires, but the joke's on the NBA for letting the Spurs pair him with Victor Wembanyama.