The professional basketball dream has come true for Stephon Castle, as the former Connecticut Huskies guard has been drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 4 in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
During his time with the Huskies, Castle averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists during his 34 games on the team. He also shot 47.2% from the field. That was good for top-five on the team in points, rebounds, and assists, including third in assists. That earned Castle recognition as the Big East Freshman of the Year.
He also earned spots on the All-Regional and Final Four All-Tournament Teams in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Those came after Castle averaged 12.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 49.1% from the field during March Madness where UConn went back to back by winning the national championship.
Moreover, Castle played high school basketball at Newton out of Georgia. He was a five-star prospect there as the No. 8 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle. That’s according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
He also ranked as the No. 1 SG in the class and the No. 2 player out of his state behind only Isaiah Collier (USC), the top recruit from last year’s cycle.
Additionally, Castle committed to UConn as part of their No. 7 class in On3’s 2023 Industry Basketball Team Recruiting Rankings. He was the top recruit in the five-man class and one of the top prospects to ever come to Storrs.
Now, he’ll be looking to bring his championship pedigree and immense collegiate success to the NBA, where Stephon Castle will hope to continue developing into a star at the professional level.
What NBA Draft experts are saying about Stephon Castle
Ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft, On3’s James Fletcher III evaluated the Top 40 prospects available, as part of his big board. Here’s what he had to say about Stephon Castle.
“Stephon Castle showed off the mentality NBA teams will covet, coming in to help UConn defend its championship as a complementary piece,” Fletcher III wrote. “Within that role, he demonstrated an ability to play either guard spot. The biggest question surrounding the 6-foot-6 playmaker is how well his shooting will translate to the next level. He shot just 26.7% from 3, not well enough to garner respect from professional defenders.
“Reports of Castle wanting to play point guard in the NBA have circulated and shifted his list of potential destinations.”
On3’s Sam Gillenwater contributed to this article.
The post San Antonio Spurs select Stephon Castle in 2024 NBA Draft appeared first on On3.
