NEW YORK – The San Antonio Spurs made the fourth pick in the NBA Draft for the first time in franchise history when they selected Connecticut guard Stephon Castle.
Outside of No. 1 overall selections David Robinson (1987), Tim Duncan (1997) and Victor Wembanyama (2023), the Spurs previously made only one pick in the top four when they selected Sean Elliott with the third pick in 1989.
About 40 minutes after hearing NBA Commissioner Adam Silver call his name, Castle spoke with reporters at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Q: What was your contact with the Spurs before the draft, and how do you feel about your fit there?
STEPHON CASTLE: They always told me that they were super high on me. But, of course, it’s the NBA Draft, so you can’t make any promises to anybody.
I just can’t wait to get out there and show my versatility, especially with the kind of talent that we already have on that team. It being the youngest team in the league right now, I feel like our future is pretty bright. I just can’t wait to get out there.
Q: You made a big point of emphasis about wanting to play point guard. In the past half hour, have you thought about playing with Victor Wembanyama and the possibilities that opens up?
STEPHON CASTLE: Yeah, definitely. Just being able to show my playmaking ability with such a great teammate like that. And just learning how to play off the ball at UConn, so being able to show that as well, especially with having a great teammate like Victor. Being able to set ball screens for him and cut in space when teams are trying to load up on him. Just trying to use all aspects of my game to just impact winning.
Q: How do you prepare this offseason? How do you prepare yourself for this moment in this offseason and to be ready (to) be selected by the San Antonio Spurs?
STEPHON CASTLE: It’s really hard to prepare for that moment. I mean, it’s just a lot of emotions running through your head, especially when you hear your name being called.
But on the basketball side of things, just always keep your head down. Always working. Just staying humble and just having all that self-confidence in myself that everything is going to work out.
Q: Curious, you’re going from one culture-based program at UConn to a culture-based team with the Spurs. Talk about your conversations with coach Popovich leading up to the draft and your thoughts on playing for Dan Hurley and going to play for Gregg Popovich?
STEPHON CASTLE: I was just playing for the best coach in college basketball and now flipping to the NBA and going to play for a legendary coach like coach Pop(ovich). It’s a blessing.
On the culture side of things, it’s not really a big culture change from UConn to San Antonio. Just being out there in the pre-draft process, you can tell it’s a hardworking program and super hard-nosed. I just can’t wait to go out there and just show what I got.
Q: Can you talk about the excitement of winning the NCAA championship to hearing your name called today?
STEPHON CASTLE: Everything is just happening like really, really fast. Just being in the ‘natty,’ soaking in that moment with my teammates. That’s a super big accomplishment. And flip over to a couple months later and you and another one of your teammates are top-10 picks. It really means the world to me, and I wouldn’t trade this for anything.
Q. Since you’ve been drafted, have you heard from Wemby, and if so, what has he said to you so far?
STEPHON CASTLE: I just talked to him on the phone not too long ago. We were just talking about coming down to San Antonio and just can’t wait to get to work, and just excited for our future and excited for this upcoming season.
Q: Going on that, you were picked fourth overall, Donovan (Clingan)was picked seventh. Two of the earliest picks in over a decade for UConn. What does it mean to you being picked so early and your teammate, as well?
STEPHON CASTLE: It means a lot. Me and D.C. have been through so much together. I was friends with him before I got to UConn, before I committed to UConn. I’ve known him forever now. I mean, I know how much he’s been through.
For that to happen, it’s such a great reflection on our program and just it’s a reflection on all the hard work that we’ve put in. It’s really a blessing.
Q: I asked Reed Sheppard when he was drafted by Houston: he was unaware there’s no state income tax. Did your agent mention that as soon as you were drafted by San Antonio? I have to ask you about that bling. That’s pretty serious stuff. What does that represent?
STEPHON CASTLE: Nah, he didn’t tell me that as soon as I got drafted. That’s probably a conversation we’ll have a little later.
Q: You lucked out.
STEPHON CASTLE: It’s all good.
Q: What about the bling?
STEPHON CASTLE: That’s a castle for my last name. This is a castle.
Q: Makes sense.
STEPHON CASTLE: And that’s my initials right on the bottom.
Q: It’s a big move from Connecticut to San Antonio. Have you thought about what is going to be the last thing you do before you move to join your new team?
STEPHON CASTLE: The last thing I’ll do in probably just celebrate with my family. I was born here in New York. So, I have a lot of family here at the draft. Just doing whatever I can to show how much appreciation I have toward them for all their support right before I go out to San Antonio and start my next journey.
Q: You did talk about possibly playing for Popovich yesterday. Did you speak it into existence? Were you expecting to get drafted by the Spurs? What you’re wearing matches the color scheme of the team.
STEPHON CASTLE: Well, I mean, what I picked for the draft, it wasn’t intentional. But I guess it all really worked out. I guess I kind of manifested it to happen for me.
But I wasn’t really expecting anybody (in particular) to pick me. I didn’t have any expectations. I was open-minded to everything. I’m happy that it went the way that it did. I’m super blessed for the Spurs organization taking a chance on me and I just can’t wait to get out there.