Stephon Castle wasn't chosen to be the other half of "Area 51" just because he wears the number five. The name fit because Victor Wembanyama wasn't the only uniquely gifted talent on the roster. The former UConn champion has a little something extra, giving him star-like impact on both sides of the ball. San Antonio Express-News reporter Jeff McDonald just asked Mitch Johnson about it.
"I probably talk the least about him publicly; I probably talk the most about him privately... I'm not talking about performance because I don't want to get crucified. But in terms of output of energy, when you think about what he's doing defensively and offensively, it takes you to some really rare territory of names that you may not want to say." - Mitch Johnson
The Spurs' head coach also went on to detail how poised the sophomore guard is, using the Western Conference Finals as his example. Castle turned the ball over 20 times in the first two games of that series. That experience could have tanked his confidence. It happens to young players all the time. It didn't happen to Steph, and that's just one of the many pieces of proof we have for his inevitable stardom.
Castle isn't your average NBA player
Every organization that passed up this kid in the 2024 NBA Draft should be kicking itself. Some guys have the "it" factor. You know it when you see it. Steph doesn't want to just be in the league. He wants to win. He wants to be great. And talk is cheap, so guys have to show it when they take the floor, and Castle was demonstrating his hunger for more from the beginning.
The 2024-25 Rookie of the Year never made excuses after mistakes. He never backed down from a challenge, guarding the opponent's best players, and he played with relentless intensity. That last one is everything when determining which young guys truly want it. They show you when they constantly contest shots, go after rebounds and loose balls, hustle to make plays, celebrate their teammates, etc.
Some players blossom into stars unexpectedly, like a Kawhi Leonard or Jimmy Butler. Others come in with a pedigree, showing a dog-like mentality to win and get better that the average guy doesn't have. It's why we shouldn't be surprised at how quickly he's improved as a three-point shooter or that he's a playoff riser, improving his counting stats and efficiency in the postseason.
Steph is a special player, and his coach knows that we don't have to drop legendary names to get that point across. His early success is just the beginning of a long, potentially Hall of Fame career, and by the end of it, his accolades will speak for themselves.
