Across every major sport, there is one shared, invisible wall that exists blocking rising talents from taking over their respective league. The sophomore slump has set countless players back from achieving their greatest goals and maintaining the strong momentum they created in their rookie season.
Whether this wall is all in their head or it is just a coincidence, the evidence says it is very much real. For the Spurs, their very own Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle is set to face this barrier next season. Coming off a year where he surprised everybody and began to dominate the court, Castle is preparing for a monstrous 2025-26 season.
However, everything is now different for the youngster. De'Aaron Fox will be by his side, and Victor Wembanyama will be fully healthy. The players he battled it out alongside are different, and the stakes are even higher. Because of this, it will be up to head coach Mitch Johnson to help aid Castle in his journey past the sophomore slump.
Mitch Johnson must allow Stephon Castle to play freely
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In his rookie campaign, we learned a lot about who Castle is as a player. He played a much different role in college than he would in the NBA. The UConn product broke through and displayed a level of scoring we did not think was possible. In particular, the Spurs' shifty guard thrived in isolation. With the ball in his hands, he was doing incredible things.
Whether he was attacking the paint with his incredible speed, taking on his defender and drawing a foul, or making his move towards his shooting spot, Castle was electric at creating buckets. The 20-year-old powerhouse is already a dynamic scorer, and it is as clear as day. [Just wait until he unlocks the three-ball.](https://airalamo.com/spurs-playoff-hopes-hinge-stephon-castle-developing-crucial-skill)
The problem is, Fox is here. Much like Castle, the star point guard loves to attack in isolation. Is it possible to allow two guards to operate in isolation? My answer is yes.
It is imperative that Mitch Johnson give Castle the freedom to do what he does best. Although the hasty guard is excellent off the catch and on cuts, he needs his fair share of isolation touches. Without them, the Spurs would be wasting the incredible talent they have fallen upon.
Even with Wembanyama and Fox on board, Castle needs his opportunities. As we saw last season, the microwave scorer thrives off momentum. Late in the season, when he started to catch fire, his hot hand transferred game over game. Once he got going, he refused to stop.
With Castle installed as the third option with plenty of scoring chances, the Spurs' offense will be unstoppable. If Mitch Johnson can craft a game plan that suits the scoring needs of each of his three playmakers, how will anyone be able to slow them down? The incoming sophomore is deserving of your excitement, and if all goes well, [there's no telling what he might do](https://airalamo.com/stephon-castle-breakout-stun-entire-nba-spurs-fans-know-it).