Spurs Rookie Sealing Likely Rookie of the Year Win

On Sunday night, Spurs rookie Stephon Castle continued his dominant run to end his debut season.

Drafted at No. 4 overall, the former UConn Husky as already projected to be one of the best players in the ’24 draft class. But he’s come on strong as San Antonio’s guard of the future, especially lately.

Prior to Sunday’s matchup with Minnesota, Castle had played a man possessed. In the five games prior, he poured on a star-level 24.0 points on 52% shooting, averaging 4.8 rebounds and assists apiece, too. His 3-point shooting stayed around 30%, but his rim finishing took to a whole new level.

Against the Timberwolves, he continued that trajectory, scoring 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing four assists.

San Antonio ultimately couldn’t come away with the win, but the silver lining could come in the form of an eventual Rookie of the Year win for Castle. 

Averaging 13.4 points, 3.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game so far, Castle had already narrowed it down to a two-man race between himself and Grizzlies’ rookie Jaylen Wells, who has seen a similar output in the Memphis starting lineup.

But Castle as begun to hit his stride as Wells has cooled off: three single-digit scoring performances in as many tries. And the former Husky already owned the best chance at coming home with the hardware, per every major oddsmaker.

The potential win would mark two straight Rookie of the Year wins for San Antonio, who’s undergone one of the better rebuilds in the last few years.

San Antonio now has an upcoming back-to-back versus the depleted Dallas Mavericks, who moved to just seven healthy men in a Sunday bout. The two teams will tip off at 7:30 p.m. CT tonight.