Stephon Castle went for 32 points and 11 rebounds in Friday’s Game 6 closeout of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the performance wasn’t just impressive. It was a statement.
At 20 years old, Castle is playing like a ten-year veteran. The way he attacked Minnesota’s defense in the half-court, created his own shot when it wasn’t there, and stayed composed when the game got tight was not the profile of a second-year player. Scouts around the league have been buzzing about him for months, and now the national audience is catching up.
The Spurs eliminated the Timberwolves in Game 6, and it wasn’t particularly close by the end. San Antonio has gone from one of the worst teams in the NBA two years ago to the Western Conference Finals, and Castle is the second-best player on a team with a potential generational talent at the top.
His partnership with Victor Wembanyama is already one of the more fascinating backcourt-frontcourt combos in the league. Wembanyama draws so much attention on the interior that Castle regularly gets clean looks in the midrange and pull-up situations. When Castle is cooking like he was Friday, opposing defenses simply cannot double Wembanyama without giving up open looks to a guy who can absolutely punish you.
The 11 rebounds also matter. Castle isn’t just a scorer. He’s active on the glass, he’s physical, and he competes at both ends of the court in a way that coaches dream about from a young guard.
Minnesota’s defense had no answer for him. Anthony Edwards did what he could to keep the Wolves competitive, but Castle matched him every time the game swung in either direction.
Coach Gregg Popovich has seen a lot of players come through San Antonio over the decades. He doesn’t hand out praise easily or often. The fact that Castle is a featured piece of this run, not just a supporting act, says everything you need to know about what the Spurs organization thinks of him.
Next up: Oklahoma City. The Thunder just swept their way through two rounds and are the defending champions. Castle is going to face a defense that’s been locked in all postseason.
That should not worry you if you’re a Spurs fan. The kid showed Friday night that he can handle anything the playoffs throw at him.
The Western Conference Finals start Monday. Stephon Castle already looks like the best second option in the conference.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
