Stephon Castle, the UConn Huskies Guard, somehow was able to stand out amongst his loaded roster team. As a freshman, he possessed intense defense and length that gave his opposing teams trouble all season. The 6’6” 215-pound guard averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and a 47.2 field goal percentage for the 2023-2024 season. Castle put up a significant effort against Purdue to help UConn win the 2024 NCAA Tournament Championship and go back-to-back for national championships.
Castle posted 15 points, 3 assists, and 5 rebounds against Purdue in the national championship. He was a consensus five-star recruit and was one of the top players in the class of 2023. After his immense contribution to UConn’s national championship run, he is now listed at Number 10 in the 2024 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings from CBS Sports. The 19-year-old is a versatile athlete who started as a freshman to defend a national title, and he did not disappoint while playing his critical role in 27 minutes each game.
Castle did mostly everything at a prominent level for the Huskies. The blemish that he has is that he hit just 26.7% of his 3-pointers. He has great playmaking instincts because he was giving out 2.9 assists, and has a soft touch in the lane, added with some physicality as a finisher at the rim.
Castle is notable for his defense, which is a huge factor in helping him become a national champion with the UConn Huskies. Purdue’s perimeter players were locked down by Castle because his quickness and length put pressure on the Purdue guards that struggled to make firm contributions.
He played defense so well that he was rated as the team’s second-best defender behind only 7-4 Donovan Clingan, stated by evanmiya.com. Castle is a one and done player for the UConn Huskies, and he ended up bringing a sixth national title to the team’s program. UConn tied with North Carolina ranking at 3rd for colleges ranked with most national titles.
UConn Huskies head basketball coach Dan Hurley posted on X “No Freshman impacted WINNING like this Champion… His combination of talent, work ethic and humility …And GREAT parents!!” This was posted shortly after Castle reported to ESPN that he was entering the 2024 NBA Draft. Castle has a nice offense he can still build on as he enters the NBA, which is attractive. What he can still improve on is his jump shot.
The 2023 title-winning team lost three of their starters, and the following year Coach Hurley was still able to piece together an even better team. Castle came in and contributed to pulling off a stunning repeat that had not been done since Florida in 2006-2007. This is an impressive accomplishment that few teams have accomplished.
With Castle and Clingan both going to the NBA, it is possible that Alex Karaban is the only starter who might return. Coach Hurley will have yet another tricky task to figure out to bring back another super squad for the next season.
NBA talent evaluators compare Castle to Marcus Smart, with claims that he has similar strength but with more height. For a guard, he rebounds well and can get downhill off the dribble. If the defense collapses, he will make a play for his team. Another NBA player he is compared to is Evan Turner.
Castle is considered more of a combo guard. It is questioned about whether he can run an offense full-time as a lead floor general. A longtime executive told HoopsHype that he may not have the skills to be a point guard. “Just because you can handle the ball and pass a little doesn’t mean you’re a point guard,” longtime executive told HoopsHype.
Castle has certain tricks which make him a special player. He plays the game with his own unique pace and can change tempos when operating the ball, shaking up his defenders. What is great is that he can smother small guards but has the height, strength, and lateral quickness to play good defense on the bigger perimeter players. His drive and dish are effective as well.
Overall, Stephon Castle will have had an enormous impact for the UConn basketball program. From a consensus five-star athlete to a collegiate one and done champion, the sky is the limit for Castle. He has his inconsistency in scoring outputs but with all his skills taken into consideration, it outweighs his weakness. Throughout the season he was a hit-or-miss shooter, but he has a solid foundation for his shooting and if he continues to work hard, he may develop a dangerous jump shot to his game and become a very elite all-around threat.
Credit – IG
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