Stephon Castle in action for the Spurs, Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images
Stephon Castle has already established himself as one of the NBA’s best young two-way guards, and after matching up with some of the league’s biggest superstars, the San Antonio Spurs guard has named the five players he thinks are the toughest to defend.
During an appearance on the Hoop Genius podcast, Castle was asked about the most difficult individual matchups.
“For me, it’ll probably be Ant will be up there. Luka will definitely be up there. Brunson is probably up there for sure. Shai is up there. I don’t know, it’s a lot of tough matchups. I think I guarded him pretty well, but Cade is pretty hard to guard too.”
It’s a rather impressive collection of offensive talent. Anthony Edwards brings a rare combination of strength and explosiveness, while Luka Doncic can control possessions with his size, footwork, and playmaking.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the two-time MVP, poses a very different challenge with his ability to change speeds, consistently get into the paint, and draw fouls.
Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham round out Castle’s five. Brunson has become one of the league’s best guards in terms of footwork, shot creation, and late-game scoring, while Cunningham’s size and ability to operate both as a scorer and playmaker can create matchup nightmares for opposing guards.
Castle has experienced those challenges firsthand while developing into an important part of the San Antonio Spurs’ core.
After winning Rookie of the Year, Castle followed it up with an impressive sophomore campaign, where he averaged 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 7.4 assists while shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from three-point range.
More than anything, Castle had a major role on the Spurs team that went all the way to the NBA Finals.
The postseason run also gave him a chance to take on three players from the list when the stakes were at their highest.
The Spurs met the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round, where Castle faced Anthony Edwards. Even though Edwards was injured and played hobbled throughout the series, the Wolves took the Spurs to six games before bowing out in the second round.
Then the Spurs met Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. That series went the full distance, with the Spurs and the Thunder eventually eliminating the defending-champion Thunder in seven games to move on to the Finals.
Once there, Castle might have faced the toughest assignment in Jalen Brunson, and this time the result went against San Antonio. The New York Knicks defeated the Spurs in five games to capture the championship, and Brunson completed the run by winning Finals MVP.
For Castle, these experiences are very important and make his selections particularly interesting.
He’s not just seeing these players from afar; he has been tasked with defending some of the best guards in playoff series with a trip to the Finals and eventually a championship on the line.
And despite having just two seasons in his career, Castle has already learned how difficult these assignments can be.
Edwards, Doncic, Brunson, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Cunningham all attack in very different ways. For a young defender like Castle, repeatedly drawing these matchups is also an indication of how much trust the Spurs already have in his defensive ability.
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