Stephon Castle (winner)
Castle, the No. 4 pick by the Spurs in last year’s draft, was a busy man.
On Friday, his team won the Rising Stars Challenge. On Saturday, he finished second to McClung in the dunk contest and nearly forced a dunk-off with two incredibly impressive efforts in the final round. On Sunday, he got a taste of the All-Star Game because the Rising Stars champions were entered into the four-team tournament.
Visibility matters a lot for young stars, and Castle made the most of his opportunities. His third dunk contest effort — a between-the-legs windmill that he started by catching the ball as it passed through the net during a made shot — was brilliantly conceived and executed. The judges erred mightily by not rewarding him with a 50, a decision that denied the possibility of an extra round of dunks between Castle and McClung.
Regardless, the Connecticut product’s willingness to go all in could pay dividends. He is one of the leading rookie of the year candidates, and he looks poised to grow alongside Wembanyama on a Spurs team that should be a real factor in next year’s playoffs. His focus, drive and athleticism left a mark on both the Rising Stars Challenge and Sunday’s tournament.
“I got to participate in events all three days,” Castle said. “As a rookie, I feel like that’s a successful weekend.”