Castle ROTY watch

Originally Posted by cutewizard

First off, that part when Stephon said the game slowed down to him all the way back in October 2024, even Wemby had a chuckle. The kid has confidence tbh. I can’t keep of comparing him to young Kobe who just saw himself destined to be bigger, which is the biggest factor in becoming one. Stephon is going to be a multiple AS and such a great pick.

Now about Wemby being excited about having Castle with him for “many many years” just shows a glimpse of the bright future ahead, and such excitement for “many many years” to Spurs fans. These guys are barely 20’s! Damn! I mean from Kawhi single-handedly torpedoed us to our “swing-over-the-fence Primo” took a massive hit, and posters here all but counted us as the worst team in our division, to now b2b ROTY? The basketball gods are sure smiling again at Spurs. And it’s just beginning. Spurs have two lottery picks coming, and hopefully will do big name(s) signing to help Wemby on his 3rd year. Let’s gooooo!!

After Steph said in his 3rd or 4th game or something (can't remember how many games in he said it, but I had a similar reaction to Victor [WTF already?!] when I heard Steph say it at the start of the season) that it's slowed down for him, Victor commented and said it took him half a season, or just over half a season for the game to slow down for him.

We can enjoy our summers and think about what Castle is going to be able to do next with Wemby and Fox drawing primary defensive attention. His biggest superpower to me is his ability to drive 1 v 1 and draw constant nuisance fouls on the other team. Reminds me of Manu being able to ugly games up when needed, in particular to stop other team’s runs on demand.

Originally Posted by Knoxxx

We can enjoy our summers and think about what Castle is going to be able to do next with Wemby and Fox drawing primary defensive attention. His biggest superpower to me is his ability to drive 1 v 1 and draw constant nuisance fouls on the other team. Reminds me of Manu being able to ugly games up when needed, in particular to stop other team’s runs on demand.

This kid has so much dawg in him, I see him working in the gym at this moment practicing his shots. What I like about him is his ability to get a foul. That’s crucial in closing games, and yes also very much like Manu.

Originally Posted by John B

This kid has so much dawg in him, I see him working in the gym at this moment practicing his shots. What I like about him is his ability to get a foul. That’s crucial in closing games, and yes also very much like Manu.

Yes he is our new Manu!

That's why laugh when people suggesting trading him.

Originally Posted by John B

This kid has so much dawg in him, I see him working in the gym at this moment practicing his shots. What I like about him is his ability to get a foul. That’s crucial in closing games, and yes also very much like Manu.

geez...

Love me some Castle but Manu shot 37% from 3 for his career. If Castle achieves that percentage his ceiling is likely higher than Manu’s, yes? Or am I crazy. Tbh

Originally Posted by 3&D_TBH

Love me some Castle but Manu shot 37% from 3 for his career. If Castle achieves that percentage his ceiling is likely higher than Manu’s, yes? Or am I crazy. Tbh

Long hair Manu was a beast of a player. Practically unstoppable and everyone knew he was going left. Tore that up.

That's just him going to the rack.

His handles and passing were elite and you couldn't leak off him otherwise he hit the mid range or 3pter.

Just listen to podcasts and convos of all the vets that played in early and prime Manu.

Castle has two to three seasons to hopefully get close to reaching that level.

They are different players but I like Castle

Originally Posted by HankChinaski

Long hair Manu was a beast of a player. Practically unstoppable and everyone knew he was going left. Tore that up.

That's just him going to the rack.

His handles and passing were elite and you couldn't leak off him otherwise he hit the mid range or 3pter.

Just listen to podcasts and convos of all the vets that played in early and prime Manu.

Castle has two to three seasons to hopefully get close to reaching that level.

They are different players but I like Castle

Do you have any particular links to any podcasts where any of those players that played Manu in his prime talked about him (is it guys that were on his team that commented or opposing players?)? I haven't really ever heard anyone talk about him from that time. I wouldn't mind hearing what they say. All good if you don't have any.

Manu was just a different animal. Never put up eye popping raw stats, and he really had two years where he was with the league leaders in advanced stats, but the guys just knows how to win. He’s really the rarest of the rarest, where he had an outsized impact on winning but doesn’t really out up the stats for it. The opposite of the most common type, the empty calories guys

Sure we will likely never see another Manu.

But Castle can be close to 90% of him on passing and shooting.

On defense, castle will be better.

Plus, Castle can be more durable.

They're both solid #2 option.

Geez, just let Castle become Castle. Why this insane desire to pit Spurs players against each other? Like how you chowderheads were in camp Parker vs. camp Manu. Christ.

Originally Posted by Ice009

Do you have any particular links to any podcasts where any of those players that played Manu in his prime talked about him (is it guys that were on his team that commented or opposing players?)? I haven't really ever heard anyone talk about him from that time. I wouldn't mind hearing what they say. All good if you don't have any.

Unfortunately no. Just over the last couple years random I can't recall

Originally Posted by Ice009

Do you have any particular links to any podcasts where any of those players that played Manu in his prime talked about him (is it guys that were on his team that commented or opposing players?)? I haven't really ever heard anyone talk about him from that time. I wouldn't mind hearing what they say. All good if you don't have any.

Unfortunately no. Just over the last couple years random I can't recall

Yeah, that's OK. I just hadn't seen him talked about much. Was interested to see/hear some. Thanks anyway. I'll do a bit of a search late tonight/tomorrow.

Originally Posted by Ice009

Do you have any particular links to any podcasts where any of those players that played Manu in his prime talked about him (is it guys that were on his team that commented or opposing players?)? I haven't really ever heard anyone talk about him from that time. I wouldn't mind hearing what they say. All good if you don't have any.

Here is Raja Bell

"People always ask me who was hardest to guard," Raja Bell said. "I say Kobe. That is what people want to hear. But the truth is, it might have been Manu. He'd rev it to fourth gear, get by you, take it back to second gear so you'd run into him, and then he'd make a crazy floater. I made a living studying offensive players. I couldn't figure him out."

and Shane Battier said this about Manu:

The San Antonio Spurs’ Manu Ginóbili is a statistical freak: he has no imbalance whatsoever in his game — there is no one way to play him that is better than another. He is equally efficient both off the dribble and off the pass, going left and right and from any spot on the floor.

Nice comments from two guys I really respected defensively when they were playing.

Originally Posted by Ice009

Do you have any particular links to any podcasts where any of those players that played Manu in his prime talked about him (is it guys that were on his team that commented or opposing players?)? I haven't really ever heard anyone talk about him from that time. I wouldn't mind hearing what they say. All good if you don't have any.

Originally Posted by pookenstein

Long hair Ginobili was really a big problem to guard going downhill with his Euro and dunking on everybody. My all-time favorite player ever period.

We've graduated from Castle All Star talk to Castle Ceiling Greater than a HOFer talk... by the end of the summer, Castle will be in the GOAT conversation with MJ and Bron.