Spurs fans should be extremely excited if latest Stephon Castle trend holds up

Less than two seasons removed from the 2024 NBA Draft, and the consensus is that the San Antonio Spurs ended up with the best player in that class. Stephon Castle was taken fourth in a lackluster draft and has proven to be the cream of the crop thus far.

The reigning Rookie of the Year has done little to dissuade that notion this season. His scoring has increased, and his passing has been impressive.

Even when he isn't able to get to the rim or the free-throw line, he's still able to make a major impact, thanks to being a pit bull on defense. In fact, Castle's reputation as an elite defender is only growing.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps recently stated that he believes that Castle will make first-team all-defense. CBS' Sam Quinn also echoed that sentiment by stating that teams appear relieved when Castle heads to the bench.

Stephon Castle should be a lock for first-team all-defense

Victor Wembanyama deservedly gets plenty of credit for the Spurs' third-ranked defense, but he and Castle are called Area 51 for a reason. His ability to harass point guards, shooting guards, and even small forwards keep the other team's best players from going off.

Even if they were able to get past Castle, Wembanyama serves as the ultimate deterrent.

While the Spurs would likely still be able to build a top-10 defense around Wembanyama, to have a truly elite defense, a team must have someone who can shut down the point of attack. Castle is that player for San Antonio.

Better still, San Antonio doesn't have a weak link defensively, not one. De'Aaron Fox is perfectly fine, Dylan Harper is solid, and Harrison Barnes isn't exploitable on that end of the floor.

That's great considering that opposing teams are going to have a huge problem trying to score against the Spurs in the half-court come playoff time. That also goes for stars such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, Anthony Edwards, Kevin Durant, and Jamal Murray.

If San Antonio has a deep playoff run, odds are that these stars could find themselves in Castle's dungeon. And if he continues to turn heads on that end of the floor, he could very well join Wembanyama on the all-defensive first-team.