The San Antonio Spurs made franchise history with a 107-101 win over the Miami Heat, marking their first 5-0 start ever. Stephon Castle played a key role with 21 points, eight assists, and six rebounds in the victory.
After the game, Castle opened up about the one area of his game that needs work.
“They talk highly of my on-ball defense but pretty lowly of my off-ball. So I'm working on that,” Castle said, as per Jared Weiss of The Athletic on X.
The admission reveals an honest gap in Castle's game. His on-ball defense earned him a “lockdown” reputation at the University of Connecticut that has carried over to the pros, but he knows his off-ball awareness needs to catch up.
At 6-foot-6 with real physicality, Castle is built to guard the ball. He fights through screens, rotates quickly, and uses his length to contest shots without fouling. That's the foundation that carried the Huskies to a national title and earned him the Big East Freshman of the Year award.
Off-ball defense requires a different skill set. Reading cutters, helping on drives, and anticipating passes without being directly involved takes time to master. The speed and spacing of the NBA make that adjustment even tougher for young guards.
Castle's offense has been impressive during the unbeaten run. Through the first four games, he scored 22 points in two different games and consistently attacked the basket, drawing nearly nine free throw attempts per game. His playmaking has been solid, averaging 4.8 assists per game.
The shooting numbers show he's still developing. Castle is hitting just 29.4% from deep and 57.1% at the stripe coming into Thursday's game. He was also averaging 6.3 turnovers per game as teams send traps and pressure his way.
The good news? The Spurs' defense is already elite, giving up only 103.8 points per contest through five games. With Victor Wembanyama protecting the rim at nearly five blocks a night, Castle has the freedom to work on his off-ball reads without hurting the team.
At 20 years old, Castle is already self-aware enough to identify his flaws before they become problems. If he can tighten up his off-ball defense while maintaining his offensive production, the Spurs' undefeated start might just be the beginning of something special.
