SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs' Chris Paul is set to bring a wealth of NBA knowledge and experience to the team next season.
Yes, he says he came to the Spurs to "hoop" and not be a coach, but he also says he doesn't mind helping out the young players on the roster.
“I’ve always taken [leadership] responsibility very seriously, but also understanding, I come to hoop,” said Paul.
And you can bet rookie Stephon Castle will be looking to Paul to soak in all he can offer to improve on the court.
In an NBA Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything), Castle shared what he is most excited about when asked what he wants to learn from Paul.
"Offensive reads. He's probably one of the best point guards to ever play in the league," he said.
In fact, Castle wasted no time to connect with Paul once he officially became his San Antonio teammate.
"I've been connecting with CP3 since they announced he's coming to the Spurs," he said.
Paul's presence can only benefit Castle and the rest of the younger players on the roster. He joins a team that last year was the youngest in Gregg Popovich's tenure as head coach, with an average age of 23.5.
His years of experience are expected to help advance the players and San Antonio's development, even if he isn't with the Spurs until the rebuild concludes.
“That’s probably been the coolest thing about my career,” said Paul. “I’ve [gone] to some teams that are younger, but I’m constantly learning from these guys.”
And Castle is already at work honing his skills for his rookie season.
"This summer, I'll be working on my shotmaking off the dribble," he said.
In two games at the 2024 California Classic, Castle averaged 15.0 points per game, including 36% shooting from the field, six rebounds, and four assists.
Before being shelved for the remainder of the Vegas Summer League, he scored 22 points, four assists, and five rebounds in 29 minutes versus the Blazers.
Like Paul, Castle is ready to win and show what separates him from the rest of his rookie draft class.
"My mentality. Internally I feel like I approach the game different than others," he said.
That mentality should go over well with the Hall of Fame-bound Paul.
" I always say I hate to lose more than I like to win," the 12-time All-Star said.
What do you think, Spurs fans? Let us know on X at KENS 5 and JeffGSpursKENS5.