The third Husky to enter the NBA draft this offseason is Stephon Castle, a freshman guard who wowed many throughout the season.
Castle is the second one-and-done to ever come out of UConn, 12 years after NBA All Star Andre Drummond did so. He was a feature piece of a Connecticut starting lineup that didn’t change when the team was healthy. That lineup was filled with stars who complimented each other, and it’s likely that any of them who enter the draft will be selected.
The calling card for the 6-foot-6 combo guard is his defense, as he served as the Huskies’ primary defender against the opposition’s best player. His handiwork included shutting down Northwestern’s Boo Buie, Illinois’ Terrence Shannon Jr. and helping keep Purdue’s guards to just one 3-pointer in the national championship game.
Offense for Castle has been a bit more come-and-go, though he still ranked in the top 350 nationally in offensive rating. He’s extremely athletic and likes to get to the rim, but one of the biggest concerns is his shot. He made just 27% of his 75 three point attempts this year and didn’t show much confidence in taking contested threes. It did help that there was almost always another shooter on the court in the upper 30s or above 40%, which made it so that he didn’t need to be taking the tough ones.
Castle is also a great passer, but didn’t get to show that side of himself as much with Tristen Newton running point much of the time. His ability to facilitate will be a pleasant surprise for the team that selects him.
His career ended with a pair of very good games in the Final Four and National Championship. He looked the part of the best player on the floor in the semifinal with 21 points and 5 rebounds, which he followed up with 15 points and 5 boards in the title game.
DRAFT POSITION AND POTENTIAL ROLE
Those final two games will certainly leave a lasting impression on scouts, with Castle currently mocking in a similar range to Clingan. He’s typically been projected to go in the mid lottery (picks 5-10), with some having him going as high as pick No. 2 or 3.
Depending on the situation he ends up in, Castle could begin his career as a starter. He knows how to win and is a coachable, team-first player. Even if he starts off in a more developmental role, Castle has the skillset to help out the team in a number of ways–they just need to know how to do so.
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