As the NBA and the Spurs work through the stretch-run and another season draws closer to the finish line, the discussion around awards has naturally started to find its kindling. Unfortunately, with Victor Wembanyama not reaching the 65-game threshold due to his deep vein thrombosis, this award season will be less eventful than Spurs fans initially hoped. Nonetheless, there is a bright spot that many saw along the horizon at the dawn of the season, Stephon Castle.
Castle is now the overwhelming favorite for Rookie of the Year honors. Sequential Rookie of the Year winners from the same franchise are extremely rare. The phenomenon has occurred only once in the modern era — Andrew Wiggins (2015) and Karl Anthony-Towns (2016) of the Minnesota Timberwolves — and four other times in NBA and ABA history, two of which were assisted by the ability for winners to tie.
While Rookie of the Year is a high honor, it doesn’t always guarantee where a player will go from there, as there are a variety of different paths winners have found themselves taking. For some players, they may end being little more than a glorified role player. For others, such as Wembanyama, it’s the path to superstardom that was already set in stone. For Castle, it’s less clear.
Looking at his offensive game, there isn’t one specific aspect that jumps out, although there have been flashes. His passing and floor command has certainly started to show polish, as was on display with his 14 assists in a [recent win](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGF9NGw76w0) over the 76ers. His scoring has started to come along as well, jumping from 12.9 points per game pre-All-Star to 17.4 post-All-Star.
This is no doubt partially due to the additional opportunity provided as fellow guard De’Aaron Fox’s season ended early due to finger surgery. This has resulted in an increase in Castle’s usage from 23.5 to 28.1 percent from pre to post-All-Star, per NBA.com. Overall, he has the highest usage of any rookie that has played at least 10 games. Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher comes closest with 19.8 percent.
However, more opportunity does not always equal more productivity. At only 20 years old, it would not have been surprising to see him slump as more weight was put on his shoulders, but instead, he has thrived. It’s very encouraging that he has found a way to not only hold the responsibilities, but continue to grow as a player. He’s stepped up to where the team needs him.
And that circles back to the initial question about what kind of player Castle could eventually be. Coming out of UConn, the most notable aspects of his game were his defense and his team’s National Championship win. Both showed his tenacity, and his ability to contribute to winning. This year has been no different.
Trying to capture this with advanced statistics, [Dunksandthrees.com](http://Dunksandthrees.com) has the metric of estimated plus/minus or EPM. Currently, Castle is at -1.5 sitting, just below the league average. To put that into context, it’s a strong number for a rookie. With the exception of Wembanyama’s ridiculous +3.0, previous Rookie of the Year winners finished their seasons within -1.2 to +0.1.
Looking around the league and trying to find a good comparison, one former Spur jumps out: Derrick White. As Spurs fans know, White had a much different path to the NBA than Castle. However, if you augment everything Castle does to the next level, White is the result. He was a strong player for San Antonio but has since gone on to be an integral part of a championship team in Boston. He is invaluable in what he contributes, whether that be defense, shooting, passing, or getting to the basket.
In terms of EPM, White is a +3.2, 95th percentile of the league. He isn’t a superstar, but he excels in his role at an irreplaceable level. On a team with two stars, Castle could very well fit into that slot for the Spurs. This is especially valuable further down the road. Come playoff time, teams need players to step up and fill in the gaps. Every series is different, and having a player that can be everywhere becomes nearly irreplaceable.
So far, Castle is finding that path. What’s more, this style not only fits within the roster around him, but within the Spurs philosophy. Rookie of the Year or not, he was the perfect pick for the Spurs.