IN a draft class that many people called the worst in years, the expectations for this year’s rookies were at an all-time low. Despite those astronomically low expectations, a lot of rookies showed flashes that suggest they could still have long and successful careers. Stephon Castle, though, was exceptional for most of the year. While his game does have some glaring issues, I not only believe he deserved to win Rookie of the Year, but I also believe he showed the kind of potential that could eventually make him an All-Star or even an All-NBA caliber player. This article is about why I believe he was the best rookie in this year’s class and the potential he displayed over the course of the season.
A lot of people will look at Stephon Castle’s percentages and be immediately turned off, which I completely understand. However, I would argue that despite the low efficiency numbers, there are still a lot of positives to take away from his scoring ability. Since entering the league, he has had an elite first step and a very good gather package, but early in the season the problem was his inability to time those gathers properly. Later in the season, though, you could clearly see that his understanding of when, how, and what gathers to use had improved a lot. He established himself as a serious threat attacking the rim, and that growth in patience, awareness, and body control became one of the clearest signs of his development as a scorer. His ability to explode is also one of the most electric parts of his game, and it shows up all over his tape as a major weapon that opens up the rest of his finishing game.
Castle’s shooting has easily been one of the biggest concerns for me. The main issue is the inconsistency of his mechanics. Sometimes he hops into a pull-up, and other times he takes too many steps into it and rushes the shot. That kind of inconsistency is a real red flag. At the same time, I still think there is room for optimism because the top half of the jump shot looks fine to me. When he keeps it simpler and uses a more basic one-two rhythm, the jumper looks better and seems to go in more often. Because of that, I do believe he can improve as a shooter as his mechanics continue to develop.
As a playmaker, Stephon Castle has shown the ability to be shifty, get open, and make solid passes. He really likes using a quick low crossover to get around opponents, and he uses that move along with his first step both to get buckets and to create opportunities for others. As a passer, he had the fourth-highest passer rating among rookies while averaging 4.4 assists to 2.2 turnovers, which is a strong sign of his feel and decision-making. He showed solid awareness throughout the season when he collapsed the defense, especially when reading help and finding open shooters. To me, one of the most impressive things about his offense is that he did all of this while having an enormous workload. With more talent around him moving forward, his role should be smaller, but ideally much more efficient.
What makes Castle’s season even more impressive is that he paired all of that offensive responsibility with high-level defensive impact. He had one of the toughest defensive assignments among rookies, was one of the most productive rookies at generating deflections and steals, and consistently looked like the most reliable two-way player in the class. One thing that immediately stands out is his motor. He is always active, always ready to move, and always looking for ways to get involved defensively. His strength, quickness, and length allow him to be a versatile defensive piece, and that versatility showed up all season long. To end it simply, I believe Stephon Castle was a top-three offensive and defensive rookie this season, and more importantly, the most consistent rookie in the class. Because of that, I really believe we are seeing the making of a truly elite player.