Spurs Rookie Scouting Report: Stephon Castle
Dissecting the fourth overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, and my initial thoughts on how he fits in San Antonio.
The 2024 NBA Draft is officially in the books, and the San Antonio Spurs have added Stephon Castle to their blossoming young core around Victor Wembanyama. General Manager Brian Wright had multiple paths to choose from when this proud franchise came on the clock for the first time on Wednesday night, but he ultimately spent the fourth pick on a prospect with the most two-way upside left on the board.
Even after months of professional scouts and internet pundits telling us this was far and away one of the weakest classes in recent memory, the fanbase should be thrilled at the possibilities Castle offers the Silver and Black if he hits his high-end outcome. We will dive deep into Juan Nuñez, Harrison Ingram, and the Rob Dillingham trade at a later date, but for now, let's take a closer look at the talented UConn standout.
Stephon Castle | Connecticut | Freshman | Guard
Measurements
Height: 6’ 6’’
Weight: 210 lbs
Wingspan: 6’ 9”
Vertical: 37”
Birthday: November 1, 2004
Stats (34 GP)
Per Game: 11.1 PPG/4.7 RPG/2.9 APG/0.8 SPG/0.5 BPG
Per 36: 14.8 PPG/6.2 RPG/3.9 APG/1.1 SPG/0.7 BPG
Shooting Splits: .472 FG%/.267 3P%/.755 FT%
Offense
-Castle possesses outstanding feel as an off-ball scorer. He went 21-of-35 (60%) on cuts and beelined to the hoop from the corners and slots when he noticed his defender ball-watching. The 19-year-old exhibited a knack for flashing into space near the middle of the floor before attacking the rim. He also finished plays when stationed in the dunker spot. You will seldom see him standing in one place for long stretches.
-Stephon has a sturdy frame, broad shoulders, and a strong base that hint at legitimate utility as a guard screener. He consistently demonstrated the ability to score or deliver short-roll passes when diving to the basket after setting a screen. This attribute bodes well for his future versatility next to Wembanyama in inverted pick-and-rolls, a set the Spurs frequently turned to down the stretch last season.
-The freshman guard only nailed 57.1% of his half-court rim attempts. He struggled to create separation off the bounce and needed an unobstructed runway to rise above the rim. While he isn't the quickest loader, Castle showcased impressive footwork playing off two feet in the paint. He used step-throughs, spins, bumps, and soft touch, making 43.5% of his floaters.
-Stephon welcomes contact and finishes well once he gets downhill with a head full of stream, lowering his shoulder to shed defenders for layups. This attribute is one of the reasons he got to the free-throw line at a decent rate (3.2 FTA) despite limited touches as the lead ball-handler for UConn. He occasionally killed his dribble early and settled for heavily contested runners when walled off on drives.
-He was a poor pull-up shooter on a small sample size. Castle went 11-of-40 (27.5%) on dribble jumpers, and he doesn’t have the dynamic handle or shiftiness to manufacture space consistently in one-on-one mismatches versus frontcourt players. Most of these attempts came near the end of the shot clock, where he had no option but to fire away to avoid committing a turnover.
-Castle has a nose for the ball on the offensive glass, and he registers at least one tip-in or putback dunk every night. He creates second-chance opportunities through his sheer willingness to out-hustle opponents. This trait is hugely important for a guard who must find ways to score easy points, especially since he will likely labor to make much of a mark from mid-range or beyond the arc early in his career.
He is a reluctant and inefficient shooter who defenders often left open. Castle went 15-of-57 (26.3%) on catch-and-shoot threes and a troubling 10-of-41 (24.4%) on unguarded looks. His release can be too flat, and he was periodically unprepared to let it fly when the ball came his way. Aside from his stiffness and slower motion, the mechanics look workable. His other touch indicators suggest he can become league-average.
-Despite successfully attacking aggressive closeouts during his one-and-done season at UConn, there is little reason to think Castle will receive many of those chances as a rookie. Players are more disciplined at this level, and scouting departments should have him designated as someone they are happy to sag off on the perimeter and dare to shoot.
-The former five-star recruit sprints the floor with purpose and fills lanes correctly on the break. He finished plays as a lob target or trailer, and he drained 60.7% of his shots in transition. Castle has the handle to take it coast to coast with low gathers and euro-steps. Furthermore, he has the strength to shed defenders with his shoulders. Stephon will thrive when San Antonio pushes the tempo.
-Castle has unquestionable upside as a connective tissue playmaker. He is an unselfish extra passer, finds cutters in the natural cadence of the offense, and tosses well-placed lobs. The teenager provides accurate dump-offs and kick-outs when driving closeouts. He makes pinpoint post entries to his big men and keeps his head up for hit-aheads in transition.
-Stephon is a terrific processor who makes quick decisions, rarely wastes dribbles, and has untapped potential as a pick-and-roll scorer and playmaker. He connects with roll-men over the top, dishes live-dribble skips to the corner, and uses change pace to keep defenders off-kilter. Castle snaked ball screens, navigated crowded spaces, and flashed impressive velocity and precision on the move.
Defense
-The freshman standout is one of the most disruptive point-of-attack defenders in this class. He applies suffocating ball pressure. Castle has fluid hips that allow him to slide well laterally and navigate ball screens. He embraces physicality and uses his powerful frame, long wingspan, and active hands to contain dribble penetration, hinder driving angles, and wall off opponents from getting two feet in the paint.
-Castle has an inexhaustible motor and phenomenal recovery tools that help him fight back into plays when he gets stuck on screens or his man beats him off the dribble. He does an extraordinary job of making life a nightmare for pull-up scorers with effective rearview contests that alter shots and make opponents uncomfortable. He doesn’t quit on possessions and makes you earn every point.
-He should comfortably cover one through three and hold his own versus fours. Castle might not be a big-time event creator, but he reads his man, mirrors their movements, and beats them to spots. He profiles as a lockdown defender who handles the toughest perimeter assignment each night. Stephon causes premature pickups, emergency kick-outs deep into the shot clock, and difficult rim attempts contesting with verticality.
-Stephon is a rock-solid team defender with exceptional fundamentals. He was a vocal communicator, made prompt rotations, understood low-man responsibilities, supplied secondary rim protection as a weakside helper, showcased fantastic timing on doubles around the post, stunted and recovered on middle drives, and played the passing lanes without compromising teammates.
-Could Castle have a realistic future as a chaser versus legitimate movement shooters? The teenager remains attached to his man and gets skinny around off-ball screens. He had a reassuring grasp of how to top lock or lock-and-trail versus wide pin-downs and corner stagger actions. While there were periodic lapses, his foundation for eventually assuming this role appears promising.
-The Connecticut product closes out to long-distance shooters under control, halts his momentum with textbook chop steps, slides well laterally when the rock hits the deck, and uses his tremendous balance to remain glued to his man. Even when drivers try to get physical with him on drives, he is too strong for average guards and wings to bully him out of the way.
-He occasionally got into foul trouble with body and hand checks, bad habits that elite foul-baiters might exploit in the NBA. However, he is generally a disciplined defender who uses his length to rack up deflections. The freshman made calculated gambles for steals and blocks, rarely sacrificing the integrity of the team defense in a way that left others scrambling to cover up his mistakes.
-UConn notched a 95.5 Defensive Rating when Castle was on the hardwood, a full SIX POINTS per 100 possessions BETTER than when he sat on the bench. While numbers only tell part of the story on that side of the rock, those are unquestionably elite on-off splits that speak volumes about his massive impact for the most dominant program in the nation last season.
-Castle is an above-average rebounder for his size. Not only does he find a body to box out, but he also high-points the basketball, pursues long misses, and has the handle to push the pace after securing boards to create transition opportunities. Those skills are invaluable for a young Spurs roster that depends on an up-tempo scheme to score easy buckets as often as possible.
Initial Thoughts on Castle in San Antonio
After San Antonio selected Stephon Castle with the fourth overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, it certainly feels like the organization will experiment with him as their starting point guard for at least some stretch of their schedule this season, especially seeing as they passed on potential lead ball-handlers like Rob Dillingham, Nikola Topic, Bub Carrington, and Isaiah Collier. My main question is whether Castle is prepared to bear that much responsibility as a rookie. Despite last playing that position full-time as a senior at Newton High School, he could be in for a trial by fire.
For all the positive traits that fill his scouting report, you have to wonder how Castle impacts lineup construction. As we already discussed, Gregg Popovich may want to start his latest lottery project, but that could mean overhauling rotations from a year ago. San Antonio finished 28th in three-point percentage in 2023-24 (34.7%), and slotting the former Husky next to Jeremy Sochan, another non-factor from distance, looks like a spacing nightmare on paper. Though Sochan and Jones coexisted, Wembanyama deserves more room to work with as he develops on offense.
Castle must expand his shooting range and self-created scoring package to reach his ceiling and become a full-fledged point guard. He will likely never become a dynamic bucket-getter, but developing into a league-average standstill threat would open the door to many favorable outcomes. Without those improvements, his shared shortcomings with Sochan could eventually drive the Spurs to invest their resources into one and trade the other down the road. While this isn't an imminent decision, the front office should keep that in mind as they build toward long-term sustainability.
The 19-year-old seemed content to let his others dictate the action for long stretches at UConn, but how much of his deferring to teammates was related to the scheme and hierarchy within that program? Is Castle unselfish to a fault? Is he hesitant calling his number? Is it both? Or does he need a longer leash to display the expansive scoring package he displayed in high school? Spurs fans have circulated tape from his 41-point game against Ron Holland in 2022 as evidence of things come. As much as I hate being a downer, there is a monumental valley between prep hoops and the NBA.
Regardless of how we view the pick today, Castle is a malleable prospect who played whatever role Dan Hurley asked of him in his lone collegiate season. His dedication to winning a national title at the expense of conceding shots and touches perfectly aligns with the type of players San Antonio has coveted over the last two decades. PATFO love guys who are "over themselves", and their latest lottery selection seemingly fits that mold. Aside from his selfless attitude, Castle has the versatility to fall back into the familiar role of a do-it-all wing if his lead facilitator qualities never materialize.
All statistics used in this article are courtesy of Basketball Reference and Synergy Sports.