'Force to be Reckoned With': Stars or Not, Stephon Castle's Work Ethic Holds True

The San Antonio Spurs' season fell short of expectations, but rookie Stephon Castle has proven to be the biggest silver lining as an even-keeled workhorse.

Apr 2, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) controls the ball in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

SAN ANTONIO — Before facing a daunting Orlando Magic squad last Tuesday, Stephon Castle added another trophy to his professional collection. He earned his second Rookie of the Month Award of the season from the NBA.

He didn't care.

"I wasn't thinking about that coming into the game," Castle said. "I know their team didn't care about that at all."

That much was true. The Magic, fresh off a loss to the LA Clippers the night before, was determined to add another win to its record with the Eastern Conference standings looming. It had possession of the No. 7 seed, but with only a one-game lead over the Atlanta Hawks, every outcome mattered.

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The Spurs couldn't say the same of their situation; winning out was almost required if they wanted any part of the West Play-In Tournament. Without Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox, that was unlikely.

Again, Castle didn't care. If he had to be the team's No. 1 scoring option with both stars missing, he would be. He made it look pretty, too.

"He's been doing this all year," Spurs guard Blake Wesley said of Castle's 16-point, eight-rebound performance. "It doesn't seem like he's a rookie."

Apr 1, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) goes up between Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (1) and guard Gary Harris (14) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Castle seldom looks like a rookie. Between his 6-foot-6, 215-pound frame and stoic mannerisms, the former NCAA champion plays up to the level of his veteran teammates. He's also the face that appears when San Antonio suffers a beatdown — rare for a rookie, but something he and Wembanyama share.

It wasn't long before Castle reached that point, in both regards.

When he first got here and we had open runs, he made some rookie mistakes," Wesley said, "(but) as he kept playing, he got smarter."

"He's a mature kid, I'll put it that way," Julian Champagnie added.

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Against the Magic, Castle helped facilitate the Spurs' offense alongside his season-long mentor, Chris Paul, but that had become expected. In fact, all of it had. When Castle wasn't directing traffic mid-court, he was guarding the opposition's best player or driving to the rim.

To Castle, one word described his play style best.

“It's fun ... just playing free,” the rookie said. “I feel like that just came from really learning my teammates all season, just really putting it all together.”

Apr 1, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) looks on in the first half against the Orlando Magic at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The Spurs lost to the Magic that night. The "frustration" in the locker room was the main reason Castle didn't celebrate his Rookie of the Month Award with his teammates, but his seven turnovers didn't help the matter.

Perhaps turnovers were an indictment of playing free. If that was the case, Castle simply had to work harder to eliminate mistakes, especially since the freedom wasn’t going away.

"Losing D-Fox and Vic definitely hurt us," Castle said. "They were on the ball a lot, so ... it didn't seem like I was playing as free, (but) my teammates and coaches have given me freedom all season. I feel like it's just heightened now."

Luckily for him, making adjustments has yet to be a big ask.

"He's a rookie," Champagnie said. "There's going to be games when (he has) seven turnovers, and there's going to be games when he has 14 assists. That's just the ebbs and flows of the game.

"He's young. He's figuring it out, but I think he's been doing a pretty good job of being that guy for us."

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As San Antonio marches toward the end of the regular season, Castle will continue utilizing a looser leash to further his personal development — a process almost synonymous with the Spurs organization itself.

"That's when you play the best brand of basketball you can play," Jeremy Sochan said of playing free. "When you get in your head or start second-guessing yourself, that's when you make mistakes."

The bonus for Castle? He has two veteran voices in his ear at all times.

Next to Paul, Castle has learned to read a basketball court and look for ways to create shots for his teammates. Thanks to Fox, he has a strong grasp on changing pace and decelerating in the paint.

Sitting behind a microphone after another successful performance at Frost Bank Center, Castle acknowledged both players' skill sets.

"To be able to see what I'm seeing at such a young age," the rookie began, "in the future, that'll definitely pay off."

Mar 25, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; San Antonio Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson talks to guard Stephon Castle (5) on a play stoppage against the Detroit Pistons during the first half at Little Caesars Arena. / David Reginek-Imagn Images

This season, the Spurs fell short of the high expectations placed on Year 2 of the Victor Wembanyama. Injuries derailed what was likely to be a playoff chase midway through the year and a sudden change in leadership placed a brief damper on locker room morale.

Still, the Spurs preached staying poised. Blocking out the noise.

That just so happened to be Castle's best trait.

"I think he's doing a great job," Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said. "One thing we've been very even-keeled on is not playing up or down, no matter what is going on in our crazy season."

As for the rookie’s future? Johnson is ready to call his shot.

"He'll be a dynamic force to be reckoned with," the coach said.