Stephon Castle Can Do It All. But Can He Become a Star?

Getty Images/AP Photo/Ringer illustration UConn's freshman guard is projected to be a top pick, but not everyone is convinced he's a future All-Star. I spoke with Castle about his NBA ceiling, the pre-draft process, and more. The past five NBA champions all have something in common. Each of them had at least one big guard who offered lockdown defense and could be plugged in all over the floor on offense. This year's Boston Celtics had Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, the 2023 Denver Nuggets had Bruce Brown Jr. and Christian Braun, and the 2022 Warriors (Gary Payton II), 2021 Bucks (Holiday again), and 2020 Lakers (Alex Caruso) all possessed valuable do-it-all guards, too. All of these guys stand at 6-foot-6 or shorter but could be found setting screens, hanging around the dunker spot, and doing big-man-like things despite being listed in the backcourt. But that's the new NBA. Tasks are delegated based on skills, not just size. This year's NCAA champion Connecticut Huskies were helped by a freshman who played a similar role: Stephon Castle, who is a projected top pick in the 2024 NBA draft. UConn utilized its 6-foot-6, 210-pound guard all over the court with cuts to the rim, on-ball...