Stephon Castle

[FarBeyondDriven]

It's a huge red flag to me that he seemingly lacks the killer mentality to look for his own shot or even shoot it when wide open and there's only seconds left on the shot clock. He's deferring way too much and it almost looks like the lights are simply too bright for him. I'm really starting to get worried about him. He'll be only playable as a bench guard in the NBA if he remains this passive and his draft stock is going to take a major hit as a result.

[Catchall]

I want more athleticism and shot-making in a top-10 pick. If he were an elite playmaker on the ball that would make a difference, but I think he's probably more of a 2/3 in the mold of a Troy Brown Jr. when it's said and done.

I think Castle vs. Kyshawn George is a fair debate, tbh.

[JMAC3]

Castle looks pretty athletic to me, he dunks in the half court off vertical very often for a guard.
His positives to me are more subtle, his ability to see skip passes or get into the teeth of defense at free throw line and make the right decisions for a freshman.

He has taken a backseat to Newton and Spencer to some degree, but those guys are 5th year seniors on the #1 team in the country.

That is a bit different then Dillingham and Sheppard taking a back seat to a Wagner and Reeves on a team that might drop out of top 25.

[BlazersBroncos]

See Delon Wright as his middle outcome. Think he is a mid to late teens talent.

[DOT]

Castle looks pretty athletic to me, he dunks in the half court off vertical very often for a guard.
His positives to me are more subtle, his ability to see skip passes or get into the teeth of defense at free throw line and make the right decisions for a freshman.

He has taken a backseat to Newton and Spencer to some degree, but those guys are 5th year seniors on the #1 team in the country.

That is a bit different then Dillingham and Sheppard taking a back seat to a Wagner and Reeves on a team that might drop out of top 25.

He has great feel for the game, and good athleticism

It's like watching someone who knows what to do but hasn't quite got the muscle memory to do it yet

I know I'm biased, but I really do think he'd benefit from another year in college. But I do get that this is a weak class and it's more likely he doesn't go as high if he stays another year.

[JustBuzzin]

I would love this guy in Charlotte. Seems like the perfect starter to plug n play with LaMelo and Miller. Slide him at the 2 he has great size and he plays defense. We could use him in that same role in Charlotte.

[BlazersBroncos]

I would love this guy in Charlotte. Seems like the perfect starter to plug n play with LaMelo and Miller. Slide him at the 2 he has great size and he plays defense. We could use him in that same role in Charlotte.

Would love his fit as a elite utility guy that does it all between Melo and Miller - but where CHA is drafting you have to shoot higher than Castle IMO.

If they find a way into another pick in the 10-15 range I love Castle for them.

Matas and Castle would be absurd fits in CHA - Ball / Castle / Miller / Matas / Williams is a core I could buy-in on.

[JustBuzzin]

I would love this guy in Charlotte. Seems like the perfect starter to plug n play with LaMelo and Miller. Slide him at the 2 he has great size and he plays defense. We could use him in that same role in Charlotte.

Would love his fit as a elite utility guy that does it all between Melo and Miller - but where CHA is drafting you have to shoot higher than Castle IMO.

If they find a way into another pick in the 10-15 range I love Castle for them.

Matas and Castle would be absurd fits in CHA - Ball / Castle / Miller / Matas / Williams is a core I could buy-in on.

To be fair aren't all these guys projected a high quality role players at best?

I like Risacher the most, but I don't think he will ever be a consistent all-star. This draft doesn't have that kind of talent imo

[BlazersBroncos]

I would love this guy in Charlotte. Seems like the perfect starter to plug n play with LaMelo and Miller. Slide him at the 2 he has great size and he plays defense. We could use him in that same role in Charlotte.

Would love his fit as a elite utility guy that does it all between Melo and Miller - but where CHA is drafting you have to shoot higher than Castle IMO.

If they find a way into another pick in the 10-15 range I love Castle for them.

Matas and Castle would be absurd fits in CHA - Ball / Castle / Miller / Matas / Williams is a core I could buy-in on.

To be fair aren't all these guys projected a high quality role players at best?

I like Risacher the most, but I don't think he will ever be a consistent all-star. This draft doesn't have that kind of talent imo

I am a Matas guy - think he could be a #3 on a winner.

[JMAC3]

Castle is really good at getting to the rim.

Isiah Collier is 95/154 at the rim this year or 62% in 820 mins played. 6 dunks -156 FTA
Stephon Castle is 74/123 at the rim this year or 60% in 750 mins played. 17 Dunks - 90 FTA
Rob Dillingham 63/113 at rim this year or 55.7% in 718 mins played. 4 dunks - 94 FTA
Jakobe Walter 30/57 at rim this year or 52.6% in 1060 mins played. 4 dunks - 162 FTA
Reed Sheppard is 39/59 at the rim this year or 66% in 923 mins played. 5 Dunks - 65 FTA

[Hal14]

Castle is really good at getting to the rim.

Stephon Castle is 74/123 at the rim this year or 60% in 750 mins played. 17 Dunks - 90 FTA
Rob Dillingham 63/113 at rim this year or 55.7% in 718 mins played. 4 dunks - 94 FTA
Jakobe Walter 30/57 at rim this year or 52.6% in 1060 mins played. 4 dunks - 162 FTA
Reed Sheppard is 39/59 at the rim this year or 66% in 923 mins played. 5 Dunks - 65 FTA

I mean, of course he might be better finishing at the rim than a bunch of guys who are smaller than him.

Not only are those guys smaller than Castle, but they have a much different role on their team. Their role is more of a shooter, whereas Castle is more of a non-shooter who adds value on offense with his strength, athleticism and ability to finish at the rim.

It would be much more relevant to compare his numbers to guys who are more similar to him in terms of height/weight and role (doesn't necessarily have to be players in this draft class, but that way we'd have a better idea of how good his numbers actually are).

These are some more relevant data points. Each players pre-draft season:

Nique Clifford: 79% at the rim, 28 dunks
Anthony Edwards: 69% at rim, 27 dunks
Jaden Ivey: 67.9% at rim, 28 dunks
Andre Jackson Jr: 66.7% at rim, 29 dunks
Jalen Williams: 66.7% at rim, 25 dunks
Devin Carter: 65.2% at rim, 26 dunks
Terrence Shannon Jr.: 64.3% at rim, 10 dunks
Hunter Sallis: 64% at rim, 15 dunks
Bennedict Mathurin: 63.8% at the rim, 38 dunks
Jaylen Brown: 61.3% at rim, 21 dunks
Jaime Jaquez: 61.1% at rim, 17 dunks
Stephon Castle: 60% at the rim, 17 dunks
Jaylon Tyson: 57.6% at rim, 24 dunks
Keon Johnson: 57.6% at rim, 15 dunks
Dereon Seabron: 55.5% at rim, 33 dunks

[JMAC3]

Castle is really good at getting to the rim.

Stephon Castle is 74/123 at the rim this year or 60% in 750 mins played. 17 Dunks - 90 FTA
Rob Dillingham 63/113 at rim this year or 55.7% in 718 mins played. 4 dunks - 94 FTA
Jakobe Walter 30/57 at rim this year or 52.6% in 1060 mins played. 4 dunks - 162 FTA
Reed Sheppard is 39/59 at the rim this year or 66% in 923 mins played. 5 Dunks - 65 FTA

I mean, of course he might be better finishing at the rim than a bunch of guys who are smaller than him.

It would be much more relevant to compare his numbers to guys who are more similar to him in terms of height/weight (doesn't necessarily have to be players in this draft class, but that way we'd have a better idea of how good his numbers actually are).

These are some more relevant data points. Each players pre-draft season:

Stephon Castle: 60% at the rim, 17 dunks
Jaylon Tyson: 57.6% at rim, 24 dunks
Jalen Williams: 66.7% at rim, 25 dunks
Jaime Jaquez: 61.1% at rim, 17 dunks
Andre Jackson Jr: 66.7% at rim, 29 dunks
Hunter Sallis: 64% at rim, 15 dunks
Bennedict Mathurin: 63.8% at the rim, 38 dunks
Dereon Seabron: 55.5% at rim, 33 dunks
Jaden Ivey: 67.9% at rim, 28 dunks
Keon Johnson: 57.6% at rim, 15 dunks

Most of these guys are forwards, whereas most view Castle as a guard.

[Colbinii]

Castle is really good at getting to the rim.

Stephon Castle is 74/123 at the rim this year or 60% in 750 mins played. 17 Dunks - 90 FTA
Rob Dillingham 63/113 at rim this year or 55.7% in 718 mins played. 4 dunks - 94 FTA
Jakobe Walter 30/57 at rim this year or 52.6% in 1060 mins played. 4 dunks - 162 FTA
Reed Sheppard is 39/59 at the rim this year or 66% in 923 mins played. 5 Dunks - 65 FTA

I mean, of course he might be better finishing at the rim than a bunch of guys who are smaller than him.

It would be much more relevant to compare his numbers to guys who are more similar to him in terms of height/weight (doesn't necessarily have to be players in this draft class, but that way we'd have a better idea of how good his numbers actually are).

These are some more relevant data points. Each players pre-draft season:

Stephon Castle: 60% at the rim, 17 dunks
Jaylon Tyson: 57.6% at rim, 24 dunks
Jalen Williams: 66.7% at rim, 25 dunks
Jaime Jaquez: 61.1% at rim, 17 dunks
Andre Jackson Jr: 66.7% at rim, 29 dunks
Hunter Sallis: 64% at rim, 15 dunks
Bennedict Mathurin: 63.8% at the rim, 38 dunks
Dereon Seabron: 55.5% at rim, 33 dunks
Jaden Ivey: 67.9% at rim, 28 dunks
Keon Johnson: 57.6% at rim, 15 dunks

Most of these guys are forwards, whereas most view Castle as a guard.

Sure...but nobody in their right mind is going to compare a 6'1 or 6'2 player's finishing with a 6'5 or 6'6 players finishing.

[Hal14]

Castle is really good at getting to the rim.

Stephon Castle is 74/123 at the rim this year or 60% in 750 mins played. 17 Dunks - 90 FTA
Rob Dillingham 63/113 at rim this year or 55.7% in 718 mins played. 4 dunks - 94 FTA
Jakobe Walter 30/57 at rim this year or 52.6% in 1060 mins played. 4 dunks - 162 FTA
Reed Sheppard is 39/59 at the rim this year or 66% in 923 mins played. 5 Dunks - 65 FTA

I mean, of course he might be better finishing at the rim than a bunch of guys who are smaller than him.

It would be much more relevant to compare his numbers to guys who are more similar to him in terms of height/weight (doesn't necessarily have to be players in this draft class, but that way we'd have a better idea of how good his numbers actually are).

These are some more relevant data points. Each players pre-draft season:

Stephon Castle: 60% at the rim, 17 dunks
Jaylon Tyson: 57.6% at rim, 24 dunks
Jalen Williams: 66.7% at rim, 25 dunks
Jaime Jaquez: 61.1% at rim, 17 dunks
Andre Jackson Jr: 66.7% at rim, 29 dunks
Hunter Sallis: 64% at rim, 15 dunks
Bennedict Mathurin: 63.8% at the rim, 38 dunks
Dereon Seabron: 55.5% at rim, 33 dunks
Jaden Ivey: 67.9% at rim, 28 dunks
Keon Johnson: 57.6% at rim, 15 dunks

Most of these guys are forwards, whereas most view Castle as a guard.

Meh. UConn's starting guards are Newton and Spencer. Castle is their small forward. He basically plays the same role that Jackson played for them last season. Similar role to what Keon Johnson played for Tennessee. Similar in terms of position to what Sallis plays for Wake (Sallis plays quite a bit at the 2)..Mathurin played the 2 and the 3 at Arizona, plays the 2 and the 3 for the Pacers.

Ivey is as much of a guard as Castle.

Seabron played quite a bit of PG for NC State, bringing the ball up, initiating offense. Jalen Williams and Jaylon Tyson both played SG and SF while also playing quite a bit of PG for Santa Clara and Cal, respectively. Jaquez is a wing, with similar measurements to Castle, both strong dudes who aren't great shooters..

Castle (due to shooting limitations and limitations creating offense in the half court, limitations with handling the ball vs defensive pressure and creating separation off the dribble) should be viewed as a more of a wing..or a SG/SF combo which is a wing.

[JMAC3]

I mean, of course he might be better finishing at the rim than a bunch of guys who are smaller than him.

It would be much more relevant to compare his numbers to guys who are more similar to him in terms of height/weight (doesn't necessarily have to be players in this draft class, but that way we'd have a better idea of how good his numbers actually are).

These are some more relevant data points. Each players pre-draft season:

Stephon Castle: 60% at the rim, 17 dunks
Jaylon Tyson: 57.6% at rim, 24 dunks
Jalen Williams: 66.7% at rim, 25 dunks
Jaime Jaquez: 61.1% at rim, 17 dunks
Andre Jackson Jr: 66.7% at rim, 29 dunks
Hunter Sallis: 64% at rim, 15 dunks
Bennedict Mathurin: 63.8% at the rim, 38 dunks
Dereon Seabron: 55.5% at rim, 33 dunks
Jaden Ivey: 67.9% at rim, 28 dunks
Keon Johnson: 57.6% at rim, 15 dunks

Most of these guys are forwards, whereas most view Castle as a guard.

Meh. UConn's starting guards are Newton and Spencer. Castle is their small forward. He basically plays the same role that Jackson played for them last season. Similar role to what Keon Johnson played for Tennessee. Similar in terms of position to what Sallis plays for Wake (Sallis plays quite a bit at the 2)..Mathurin played the 2 and the 3 at Arizona, plays the 2 and the 3 for the Pacers.

Ivey is as much of a guard as Castle.

Seabron played quite a bit of PG for NC State, bringing the ball up, initiating offense. Jalen Williams and Jaylon Tyson both played SG and SF while also playing quite a bit of PG for Santa Clara and Cal, respectively. Jaquez is a wing.

Castle (due to shooting limitations and limitations creating offense in the half court, limitations with handling the ball vs defensive pressure and creating separation off the dribble) should be viewed as a more of a wing..or a SG/SF combo which is a wing.

You are also comparing him to players that were older and had more experience.

I view Castle as a combo guard at the next level, not going to knock him because he is big for a guard. At the end of the day you are either good at getting to the rim or you are not, I am not going to give someone some sort of bonus for being 6-1 as if that is some sort of advantage moving forward.

[JustBuzzin]

Castle was a point guard coming out of high school. Not sure why people think he is a wing. He will for sure be a sg/pg at the next level.

[Saints14]

Castle feels very similar to Dyson Daniels as a prospect:

Castle UConn stats (26.8 MPG:
10.8/4.5/2.9/0.9stl/0.6blk/1.5tov on 47/28/75

Daniels GLI Showcase stats (31.2 MPG):
11.3/6.2/4.4/1.9stl/0.7blk/2.4tov on 45/26/74


So as prospects Daniels played on ball a bit more (more AST but slightly worse A/T ratio) and has the edge in steals and rebounds. He was also a bit younger and around an inch taller and longer. But if you felt good about Dyson being picked 8th in a better draft, that feels like about the right range for Castle in 2024

[FarBeyondDriven]

I mean, of course he might be better finishing at the rim than a bunch of guys who are smaller than him.

It would be much more relevant to compare his numbers to guys who are more similar to him in terms of height/weight (doesn't necessarily have to be players in this draft class, but that way we'd have a better idea of how good his numbers actually are).

These are some more relevant data points. Each players pre-draft season:

Stephon Castle: 60% at the rim, 17 dunks
Jaylon Tyson: 57.6% at rim, 24 dunks
Jalen Williams: 66.7% at rim, 25 dunks
Jaime Jaquez: 61.1% at rim, 17 dunks
Andre Jackson Jr: 66.7% at rim, 29 dunks
Hunter Sallis: 64% at rim, 15 dunks
Bennedict Mathurin: 63.8% at the rim, 38 dunks
Dereon Seabron: 55.5% at rim, 33 dunks
Jaden Ivey: 67.9% at rim, 28 dunks
Keon Johnson: 57.6% at rim, 15 dunks

Most of these guys are forwards, whereas most view Castle as a guard.

Meh. UConn's starting guards are Newton and Spencer. Castle is their small forward. He basically plays the same role that Jackson played for them last season. Similar role to what Keon Johnson played for Tennessee. Similar in terms of position to what Sallis plays for Wake (Sallis plays quite a bit at the 2)..Mathurin played the 2 and the 3 at Arizona, plays the 2 and the 3 for the Pacers.

Ivey is as much of a guard as Castle.

Seabron played quite a bit of PG for NC State, bringing the ball up, initiating offense. Jalen Williams and Jaylon Tyson both played SG and SF while also playing quite a bit of PG for Santa Clara and Cal, respectively. Jaquez is a wing, with similar measurements to Castle, both strong dudes who aren't great shooters..

Castle (due to shooting limitations and limitations creating offense in the half court, limitations with handling the ball vs defensive pressure and creating separation off the dribble) should be viewed as a more of a wing..or a SG/SF combo which is a wing.

nah, he's a lead PG with lead PG skills and should be viewed as a PG. It's only because they had competent guys already in that role, in Spencer and Newton, that you don't see him in that role exclusively. Castle's only chance of being special at the next level is as a PG imo. If he's not allowed to play PG exclusively at the combine and teams are saying they view him as a combo guard and not a point guard he should drop to the late first.

[Hal14]

Castle was a point guard coming out of high school. Not sure why people think he is a wing. He will for sure be a sg/pg at the next level.

Nah. HS different, man. For all we know, Castle only played PG in HS because he had no one else on his team who could handle the ball. Castle was the only guy on his HS team ranked in the ESPN top 100. 

NBA teams don't care that he played PG on a HS team with no other good players on it (and got blown out by Isaiah Collier's team).

They care much more about what position (and what role, what skills he shows) in college.

He's played basically not PG in college this season. He's shown some flashes as a secondary ball handler but not as a primary. For the most part he's been used by UConn as a wing. Catching lobs, getting the ball at the elbows, turning, facing up and attacking the basket (like we see from guys like Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jimmy Butler, etc.), occasionally hitting spot up 3's, scoring inside out of the dunker's spot, finishing int rasition..

He's been used quite a bit this season like UConn used Andre Jackson Jr last season.. except not as good as Jackson at basically everything (except shooting where they were both not good)..

[Hal14]

Castle feels very similar to Dyson Daniels as a prospect:

Castle UConn stats (26.8 MPG:
10.8/4.5/2.9/0.9stl/0.6blk/1.5tov on 47/28/75

Daniels GLI Showcase stats (31.2 MPG):
11.3/6.2/4.4/1.9stl/0.7blk/2.4tov on 45/26/74


So as prospects Daniels played on ball a bit more (more AST but slightly worse A/T ratio) and has the edge in steals and rebounds. He was also a bit younger and around an inch taller and longer. But if you felt good about Dyson being picked 8th in a better draft, that feels like about the right range for Castle in 2024

Not sure about that logic. Dyson would go like 17th in a re-draft.

He's been pretty underwhelming so far in the NBA. And that's because:

-Limited on offense and while he's a good defender, hasn't been good enough on D to make up for offensive limitations
-Strength is a bit of an issue (shouldn't be as much of an issue for Castle)
-A bit of a tweener from a positional standpoint. Has the size of a guard but lacks the skill set you would want from that position (ball handling, ability to run, initiate the offense..shooting) and doesn't quite have the size for a wing..

Castle could run into some of these same issues in the NBA.. best case could be if he is like a Bruce Brown type..which might be a guy worth taking in the 10-15 range. But nailing that archetype is easier said than done. A lot of those types of guys struggle to find their way, as we've seen with guys like Keon Johnson, Romeo Langford, Jaden Springer..Dyson Daniels too..