Castle shows strong skill translates immediately: Grading the rookie's debut

The Spurs' regular season is here, and Silver and Black Nation is rejoicing. Aside from higher expectations than the last few seasons, fans are clamoring for a look at the new Spurs. Fans want to see how the team will gel early this season.

They’re also looking to see how new players fit, what roles each player will have, and if there’s room for optimism early on. One player who fans are looking forward to seeing is the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft, Stephon Castle.

Breaking down Castle's performance

The 6’6” guard from UConn had some moments in the first half, both good and bad. His first half, by the numbers, wasn’t outstanding—six minutes, zero points, one assist and one rebound. Worse, two turnovers.

Castle was the third backcourt member off the bench behind Keldon and Tre Jones, and although initially nervous, Castle quickly adapted to the game.

He did fail to rotate down into the paint on defense early, allowing Lively an easy dunk. However, as the possessions went on, his trademark tenacity showed up as he took on both Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic in one-on-one matchups—both star Mavericks missed their shots.

As the second quarter moved on, Castle had opportunities to handle the ball. He had a nice dribble drive, which led to a pretty pass underneath the defender and an easy two points for Collins. Later in the quarter, he attempted another dribble drive but seemed out of sorts and picked up his dribble. He got called for traveling and was taken out of the game shortly after that.

In the second half, Castle was again assigned to both Kyrie and Luka, which shows the confidence Coach Pop and co. have in his defensive ability. He was called for a foul while guarding Luka and went and spoke to the ref directly after.

This kind of veteran move to learn how the refs call the NBA game will pay dividends as his career progresses. As the quarter progressed, he continued to be comfortable, scoring his first NBA basket and using his skills to get into the paint to set up Keldon for a layup.

Stephon remained on the floor as the fourth quarter began, and he immediately missed an assignment when he didn’t switch off a pick, allowing an easy basket for Dallas. But he continued to show his ability to knife through a defense and drove into a contested shot, attempting to force the action.

Castle's star shone brightest as the game got out of hand

He was the clear catalyst of the offense, using his vision to find open looks for other players, which they cashed in on. Castle continued to play tenaciously on the defensive end, grabbing a couple of rebounds.

Castle’s final tally: eight points, three rebounds and five assists on 3/7 shooting across 18 minutes of action. He did not turn the ball over in the second half.

There were plenty of ups and plenty of downs for the first-year pro. His defensive tenacity and the trust the team is already showing in him sets a high expectation. He needs to maintain control and adjust to the speed of the NBA game offensively. He has a clear ability to reach the bucket whenever he wants to offensively. The rest of his offensive game needs polishing.

As his minutes mirrored his preseason workload, a game like tonight is likely what to expect, at least initially, out of Castle. As the season progresses, the hope is that his offensive game will show the same promise his defensive game does, and if so, the Spurs will have a quality player off the bench.

Grade B