6) Stephon Castle
Connecticut guard Stephon Castle is one of the interesting lottery prospects in this year's draft. At 6'5, Castle projects to be a shooting guard or small forward, but he wasn't a particularly good 3-point shooter on the Huskies, hitting just 26.7% from three this past college season. On the other hand, he showed a knack for creating off the dribble and getting to the rim with hard drives into the paint.
He is also an effective defensive player, suggesting that he could carve out a role in the NBA, but he doesn't necessarily fit into a clear role. The most obvious one is as a three-and-d wing, but he will have to get better as a 3-point shooter, which may take time. To his credit, he performed well in the NBA Combine 3-point drill, though it's questionable whether he will be a good shooter in the league.
Stephon Castle looking smooth during movement 3 drills. Closed this one making eight straight. Castle’s shooting one of the biggest swing skills in this draft. pic.twitter.com/nqBUn3gvTa
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) May 13, 2024
Without a consistent jumper, teams can play off him, which would severely limit his effectiveness. He can be a secondary shot creator, perhaps one who could develop into a midrange shooter but that's a tough fit for most teams, even on the Spurs with Wembanyama, who can be a stretch five. Nevertheless, with two picks in the top 8, he might be a viable option with the eighth pick, should he still be there.
The Spurs have a history of taking players who can't shoot and turning them into good ones. Moreover, they may gamble that they can do the same with Castle in the hopes that he will be able to knock down open shots, in addition to attacking off the dribble and defending, which would make him a valuable player.