'I Want Him Here': How Spurs' Stephon Castle Proved De'Aaron Fox Right

San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle has found his groove as of late, reinforcing one of the few stipulations De'Aaron Fox had of a potential move to Texas at the NBA's annual Trade Deadline.

Feb 7, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) drives to the basket against Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) during the second half at Spectrum Center. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Stephon Castle might not be at a point in his career to recruit other stars to the San Antonio Spurs, but as it turned out, he didn't need to.

Playing alongside his potential was enough.

"I want Steph here," former Kings star De'Aaron Fox explained, referring to his motivation for moving to Texas despite some early reservations from his wife, Recee. "I texted him that, too."

Castle's phone buzzed with a notification from his soon-to-be teammate. No deal had been made yet, and while rumors were swirling, it seemed as if the rookie was going to be safe. San Antonio wanted to hold onto him. Better yet, Fox wanted him there.

"You're a big reason why I want to come here," the star wrote.

If the 20-year-old wasn't confident enough, that certainly helped.

READ MORE: Fox, Wembanyama to Spearhead Spurs' New Era

"He's always telling me to go out there and be me," Castle said two games into Fox's tenure with the Spurs. "Play my game. Be aggressive. That encouragement from that high-level of a player gives me confidence."

Feb 7, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (4) brings the ball up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at Spectrum Center. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

All season, a calm, collected poise exuded from Castle — fresh off an NCAA title with the UConn Huskies. Entering the NBA, he knew what winning looked like; more specifically, what it took.

If he was meant to be a point guard under Chris Paul, he would be. That also meant taking over when the veteran hung it up. Alternatively, in the case of a player like Fox entering the fold, that meant adapting his game to a role more complementary of a traditional point guard.

Friday evening against the Hornets, Castle flexed such adaptability.

In 31 minutes off the bench, he recorded a season-high 33 points on 10-for-15 shooting. He made history in the process, but when he took the podium — now a regular occurrence — his mind wandered elsewhere.

READ MORE: Castle Joins Victor Wembanyama on Historic Spurs List

"Shots were falling," he admitted. "I was more aggressive ... I wish we would have come out with the win, though."

Before the season, it was Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell or Keldon Johnson who would speak on behalf of the team after hard losses; at 22-60, there were quite a few. The reasoning was fairly simple, too. Despite obvious frustration, there had to be a general understanding of the state of the team.

Who better to speak on it than the franchise's cornerstone?

"The fact that we could compete with a championship-level team is promising," Wembanyama would say before harping on the lack of a 48-minute effort. "We had some moments where everything seemed to work."

Now, such losses are fewer. Wins, though sometimes fleeting, feel more attainable, and a stark contrast exists between the two seasons. Wembanyama still faces the same line of questioning on a nightly basis, but he's joined by two more voices with similar mindsets.

One is a 27-year-old veteran with playoff experience. The other is a rookie. And he hasn't stopped improving since he arrived in San Antonio.

"(Castle) is learning the right way in terms of his responses to adversity and success," Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said. "When you see a young, talented player like that put in the right work and have the right approach, you typically see levels of improvement. It's a credit to him."

Feb 7, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) on defense against San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the second quarter at Spectrum Center. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Beginning in training camp, Castle made clear his goals. He wanted to fit into the system, and earn his teammates' respect. As such, he remained silent.

"I like to observe first," he said. "Coming in, your word has to be respected, so I'm just trying to earn that respect. Then, I can figure out what to say.

“If I’m saying the wrong thing, I’m talking for no reason.” 

READ MORE: Stephon Castle's On-Court Impact Begins Off It

Facing Charlotte, Castle found his voice. With 8 seconds to play, Fox knocked in a shot from mid range to give San Antonio a two-point lead. Miles Bridges responded with a 3-pointer to take it back and Johnson called a timeout. That's when Castle pulled Fox aside.

"You've got to go in right now," he told him. "We're going to live or die by the decision you make."

San Antonio died. The final shot left Fox's hand a few tenths of a second too late, and Charlotte came away with a much needed home win. The Spurs fell for the third time in seven nights, yet, the trust remained taut.

Live or die, they were sticking behind one another. Fox wanted Castle in San Antonio — 33 points later, he was there, with 33 games left to play.

He was right. Castle wasn't going anywhere.

"I'm holding myself to a high standard," the rookie said. "Trying to be coachable. Trying to be a likable teammate ... a good teammate. If you follow those three things, everything will fall in line."