NEW YORK – San Antonio Spurs first-round draft pick Stephon Castle was a consensus five-star recruit in the high school Class of 2023.
His father, Stacey Castle, was college teammates with Spurs legend Tim Duncan at Wake Forest.
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The younger Castle committed to UConn during his junior year at Newton High School in Covington, Georgia. He played one season with the Huskies, helping them win a second NCAA Championship in two years.
While in Brooklyn for the 2024 NBA Draft, I met WTNH Sports Director John Pierson, who covered Castle during his one season with the Connecticut Huskies. In order to help Spurs fans get to know Castle better, John agreed to do a Q&A with KSAT 12.
Q: How long have you covered Castle?
Pierson: I only had the pleasure of covering Steph(on) for one season. He’s a rarity at UConn, a one-and-done lottery pick.
Q: What are his strengths and areas of improvement?
Pierson: Once he got through an early season injury, we got to see what (head coach) Dan Hurley and his staff were excited about. Castle is a big strong guard with the ability to impact a game in many ways. His defense is elite. Castle was often assigned the opponents’ top offensive option, and the majority of the time, he shut them down. His size, strength, length, and quickness allowed him to guard 90 feet or down in the low block. He’s a very smart player who competes at a high level. Offensively, he’s powerful, gets downhill easily, absorbs contact, and shows great body control once off his feet.
He’s also very unselfish, creating opportunities for his teammates with his ability to drive and find the open man. He didn’t shoot from the outside much, but when called upon, he stepped up. His outside game and pull-up midrange are something he’ll likely continue to develop. He wants to be great, and I don’t think he’ll settle for anything less.
Q. How important was he in helping UConn win the national championship?
Pierson: Castle was a major factor in the Huskies repeat. He was a defensive monster in the NCAA Tournament. He took the one-on-one matchups against guys older and more experienced than him and made them non-factors. He also made teams pay for sagging off him on offense and buried some critical outside shots.
Q. How do you see him meshing with Victor Wembanyama, considering he played with a 7-footer in (center Donovan) Clingan (at UConn)?
Pierson: Castle and Wemby are going to be an amazing comb(ination), honestly. I can see the two of them leading the Spurs back into title contention. Steph plays well with his teammates on both ends of the floor. Offensively, his ability to drive and draw defenders made for some easy scoring chances for Donovan Clingan and (fellow UConn teammate) Samson Johnson. Defensively, his ability to get up on guys and flush them in the direction of elite rim protectors is fun to watch. The way Castle cuts the head of the snake off with his relentlessness of defense will allow him to make an immediate impact in the NBA.
Q: Do you know what Castle is like off the court?
Pierson: I didn’t get to know him too much off the court. Do know he comes from a great family, who keep him grounded. Wish we had him another year in Storrs (Connecticut), to get to know him better. Always very polite and business-like, with a flash of his personality here and there. As the year at UConn played out, you could see him coming out of his shell. A little offering an inside peek into who he is. I have no doubt the Spurs are getting a great person. I thought he was going to go No. 1 to his home state (Atlanta) Hawks.
Q: What’s your favorite memory on or off the court of Castle?
Pierson: So many great plays come to mind. A drop-step spin move and one in his very first college game against NAU (Northern Arizona University) was a sign of things to come. Watching him be on the giving and receiving ends of alley-oops was great, too. I think the thing that stands out, though, is the respect he got and gave in the locker room. He acts and plays beyond his age. A 19-year-old that played like a college senior.
I think this is the greatest fit for both the Spurs and Steph. Going from Hurley to (Spurs head coach Gregg) Pop(ovich) is going to be a beautiful thing to watch. A great player under two elite coaching minds. I think Steph will end up being the Rookie of the Year.
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