SAN ANTONIO — Las Vegas oddsmakers are busy with 2024-25 NBA prop futures and projecting the average points scored by some of the rookie class members next season.
And according to oddsmaker BetOnline, San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle is projected to average 9.5 points per game next season.
This projection is close in reality.
He's joining a team with Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, and Chris Paul. He will not be a primary scorer on a team with offensive weapons ahead of him in the rotation.
There's also the chance he will come off the bench and see little time on the floor to increase his scoring averages.
He also will play behind other guards, such as Paul, Tre Jones, Malaki Branham, and Blake Wesley.
Ultimately, Castle's potential to be a solid player is substantial, and his defense will have an impact almost immediately.
In the 2024 Summer Leagues, he scored 22 points, four assists, and five rebounds in 29 minutes against the Blazers in one game in Las Vegas. In two games at the California Classic, he averaged 15.0 points per game, including 36% field-goal shooting, six rebounds, and four assists.
Statistics aside, he showed poise, tenacious defense, and an outside shot, which earned him praise from coach Gregg Popovich.
"I love his seriousness for such a young kid. I love his pace," Popovich said to ESPN. "You see, his expression never changes, and he doesn't go too fast; he doesn't go too slow. He reads the situations. He's going to be a quick study, I think, and get to play on the court pretty quickly."
What do you think, Spurs fans? Let us know on X at @KENS5, and @JeffGSpursZone.