BY: MICHAEL SALES — SPORTS ON AIR — CORRESPONDENT
SAN FRANCISCO — If this year’s Rising Stars showcase at the NBA All-Star Weekend festivities in the Bay Area, it looks like the league’s future will continue to be bright with tomorrow’s stars.
San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle scored 11 points and three assists to lead Team C of coach Chris Mullin to a 25-14 victory over Team G League coached by Jeremy Lin in the finals of the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday at the Oakland Arena.
Thanks to Castle’s heroics, Team C also beat Team H of coach Tim Hardaway in the previous round, 40-34. Castle, the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, was named MVP among the Rising Stars.
NBA rookies, sophomores and G League standouts compete in the annual event and this year, those in the rosters of teams include Amen Thompson of the Houston Rockets, Bub Carrinton of the Washington Wizards and Jaime Jacquez of the Miami Heat.
Castle is averaging 12.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per in 51 games with the Spurs this season. Alongside Victor Wembanyama and newly-acquired De’aaron Fox, they form a formidable Big Three in the Western Conference.
“It means a lot,” Castle said of winning the MVP award but he is also looking forward to playing in the All-Star Game on Sunday.
“Really, just me personally, not just looking at my career, just to be able to play against guys I’ve been watching forever in my first All-Star Weekend is definitely a blessing.”
It sure looks like Castle belongs among the league’s galaxy of stars.
