“Ruined My Life”: Spurs Fans Are Overwhelmed As Victor Wembanyama Finally Finds Help In UConn Champ

A big development has taken place during the ongoing 78 edition of the NBA Draft. As part of the fourth overall pick, the San Antonio Spurs have decided to include 19-year-old point guard Stephon Castle into their roster. The player was a member of the UConn Huskies that secured the title just months ago. Further, he was also a member of the National U18 team that participated in the 2022 FIBA WC and brought the gold medal home. With such an impressive resume to his name, Castle’s inclusion may end up going a long way in supporting star player Victor Wembanyama who, despite his individual success, couldn’t manage to lift the Spurs above the bottom seed last season, with a playoff goal beyond more than far-fetched.

Stephon Castle was not hesitant in expressing his true feelings upon joining the Spurs. According to ESPN, the player said, “They’re getting a winner. I learned how to win last year.” The update also falls in line with the wishes of the Spurs management. According to The Athletic reporter Kelly Iko, the team is said to be “big fans of UConn’s Castle” and that they wouldn’t have minded “moving up their draft board” for him. With two top-10 selections available in their arsenal, one option has been exhausted in securing the UConn champion.

No sooner had the announcement about Castle being selected gone viral when fans took to social media to share his reactions. One of them highlighted being upset, not because he didn’t agree with the Spurs’ choice, but because renowned reporter Shams Charania spoiled the news to him. While many others seemed ecstatic. Have a peak for yourself.

Fans react to Stephon Castle teaming up with Victor Wembanyama and co

The individual may have taken his reaction to the extreme, as he described “smashing” his TV in front of more than two dozen guests at a party. He further added, “My wife just took our crying kids and said they’re all spending the week at a hotel. You spoiling this has ruined my life and I’ve lost everything.”

Fortunately, not everyone had an equally extreme reaction to the one the above. Utah Jaaz’s ex-GM Kevin O’Connor was also amongst the first individuals to make his reaction known to Stephon Castle heading to San Antonio Spurs. He stated his belief that the team’s defensive capabilities will see quite an improvement with both the rookie and Wemby leading. By highlighting that the 19-year-old is also a reliable individual in terms of offense, O’Connor praised his “do it all” capabilities and his potential to be “creative.”

In the 34 games that Castle played for the UConn Huskies, he averaged a score of 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while his shooting capabilities were at 47.2% for field goals, and 75.5% free throws. His capability to shoot three-pointers was not as impressive averaging a mere 26.7% but the rest of his offensive prowess made him a desirable candidate. Furthermore, according to CBS Sports, Castle is one of the best defensive players on the current draft. The praise is credited to him in light of his “relentless motor on the perimeter” and a wingspan of about 6-9 wingspan that makes it difficult for rival players to score.

Another individual praised the Spurs for repeating their actions. He complimented them for not only selecting Castle but also acquiring another star player by the name of Rob Dillingham. Unfortunately, that tweet was sent out before he was immediately traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The duo of Stephon Castle and Rob Dillingham would have been a fiery one. Their partnership was something that fans had been anticipating ever since Dillingham reportedly started openly campaigning to be a Spur. During the NBA Combine process, he was anticipating teaming up with Victor Wembanyama. It was made clear when he stated, “If I’m playing with Wemby, it’s obvious. I am coming in to give Wemby the ball.” Unfortunately, the same turned out to be too good to be true.

One fan highlighted that Stephon Castle to San Antonio was the news that he had been waiting for. Calling him out to be his “#1 player in this draft”, he credited the young star for being the perfect companion to Wembanyama.

Castle was a good potential pick going into the draft. However, what increased his chances of being a top prospect was securing the NCAA Championship title. During the final game against Purdue, he was only second to Tristen Newton on the scoresheet, securing 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3. His overall performances allowed him to walk away with the Big East Freshman of the Year award.

While the praise for Stephon Castle dominated the X world, there were some who were still unhappy with how things went. One social media user was unhappy that the Spurs decided to trade off their 8th overall pick, Rob Dillingham, to the Bucks and chose to retain Castle.

According to Shams Charania, the Timberwolves agreed to take in Rob Dillingham in exchange for the rights to swap 2030 first round pick and the 2031 top-1 protected first round pick. During the 32 games he played for the Kentucky Wildcats, Dillingham secured an average score of 15.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. At the same time, Castle fell back a bit with his 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. Therefore, while the stats of the duo may have been the same, the commentor believed that Dillingham’s “elite handles, elite shooting, good passing” gave him an advantage. An advantage that, unfortunately, the Spurs did not choose to undertake.

One fan made it clear that he doesn’t like Stephon Castle due to the lack of a proper “offensive upside”.

This was a reference to how, despite possessing a good enough field goal and free throw shooting ability, the player can still average only 26.7% when it comes to his three-pointers. By going only 0.6-2.2 during his time at UConn, the “offensive upside” is a weakness that may end up being exploited by rival players.

Overall, the reactions were extremely positive towards the San Antonio side choosing Castle. However, there was still a bit of criticism mixed in light of the player’s offensive capabilities lacking in certain areas. Until the upcoming season, fans can only anticipate how well the partnership of the new rookie and Victor Wembanyama will turn out.

Before leaving, be sure to check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about the Lakers legend’s infamous feud with the late Kobe Bryant.