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For the second consecutive season and the fourth time in franchise history, the San Antonio Spurs have multiple Rising Stars on their roster. Stephon Castle will join Victor Wembanyama in representing the Silver and Black in an affair that highlights the brightest young talent in the league.
For Castle, simply getting the nod as a 2025 Rising Star during NBA All-Star Weekend may not be enough.
“I feel like that should be the goal for everybody, to try to go out and win the MVP,” Castle said. “I'm not going to go out there and try and go through the motions.”
Castle is the only NBA rookie this season with at least 450 points, 150 assists and 100 rebounds, and he’s one of just three rookies with 30+ steals and 10+ blocks. He's started 25 of the 42 games in which he's appeared, averaging 11.7 points, 3.6 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 0.76 steals in 25.3 minutes per game.
The rookie from UConn is also set to participate in the Dunk Contest during All-Star weekend.
Stephon Castle reacts to All-Star weekend participation
Castle's 11.7 points per game rank second among the 2024 draft class, while his 152 total assists and 3.6 assist average place him third. He also leads all rookies in free throws made with 96. This season, Castle has helped the Spurs to a 6-3 clutch record, leading all rookies with 20 clutch points while shooting an efficient 53.8% in the final five minutes of games within a 5-point margin.
“It means the world to me. It's definitely an honor and I'm just super blessed to be a part of it,” the Covington, Georgia native said.
The annual showcase will feature a four-team tournament consisting of three total games that will air live Friday, February 14 on TNT at 8 p.m. CT. New to this year’s format, the winning Rising Stars team will compete against the NBA All-Stars in the All-Star Game mini tournament on Sunday, February 16. WNBA legend Candace Parker will serve as honorary GM of the Rising Stars champion, known as Team Candace.
“It's another chance to go out and compete and showcase what you can do on the highest stage in what I feel is the biggest week of the NBA,” Castle said of the Rising Stars Challenge. “I'm going to go out there and really compete,”
Last year, Jeremy Sochan joined Wembanyama in the competition. The year before that, Sochan took part. The only other time the Spurs were represented in the event for at least three consecutive years came from 2010 to 2013. Twice during that span, two Spurs played in what was then just a single Rising Stars game: DeJuan Blair and Gary Neal in 2011 and Kawhi Leonard and Tiago Splitter in 2012.
While the rookie is ready to ball out, he hasn't forgotten his other All-Star obligation. Castle will become the first Spur to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest since Greg “Cadillac” Anderson in 1988.
“For as long as I can remember, I've always watched All-Star weekend, really every event,” Castle said. Just to be a part of it in year one for me, it definitely means the world for sure,” the 20-year-old reigning collegiate national champion shared.”
There's tons of love from Castle for the chance to take part in All-Star festivities. Perhaps fitting that it'll come on Valentine's Day weekend.
