With Stephon Castle Out With Knee Trouble, List of Injuries Keeping Out The 19YO

UConn’s freshman Stephon Castle will be out for several games due to a knee injury, as announced by coach Dan Hurley on Friday. Castle sustained the injury during a game against Stonehill College last Saturday, when he tripped and damaged his right knee. Although he did not initially report the injury over the weekend, he was later ruled out of the game against No. 5 UConn on Tuesday due to discomfort.

Castle is highly regarded for his skills as a downhill playmaker and agile defender, particularly in the half-court. In his first two games as a starter for UConn, he averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and two steals. As a result, he was named the Big East’s Rookie of the Week on Monday.

An Ill-timed Injury

Following the Huskies’ victory over the Delta Devils, the head coach was unconcerned about Castle’s injury seriousness. Coach Hurley informed reporters that Castle had undergone a small treatment and could be able to return in early December, despite an MRI confirming that the problem is probably not going to halt the season: “It’s a two, three, or four-week thing. The best-case scenario for him was that it was a very minor procedure.”

Hurley’s statement came before UConn traveled to New York to play in the Empire Classic. On Sunday, the Huskies will take on Indiana in their tournament debut and it’s highly unlikely for Castle to make it.

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But all the reliable sources give hope that Stephon Castle’s injury is something minor to be rested for a few weeks, not like some torn ACL that cause him to miss a whole season. “Stephon Castle, after the MRI, will have some time with the knee injury, but it does not appear to be the season-ending part of that report,” Hurley added. “This is not a super serious knee issue.”

Castle so far…

In his first two collegiate games, Castle has already made an impression, starting straight away for UConn. In his first game against Northern Arizona, he scored 12 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and contributed 2 assists. In the victory against Stonehill, he scored 17 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and added 5 assists.

After Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban, the highly-touted rookie presently has the third-highest offensive rating in the squad. The native of Covington, Georgia, is still expected to be selected in the lottery for this year’s NBA Draft. He got a name for playing like a senior player instead of a freshman.

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“Castle is ready,” Coach said. “He’s not playing like a freshman; he is playing like a dude that is ready; he is playing like a dude who is going to contribute; he’s playing like a guy who is a veteran; he is not playing like a guy who is kind of figuring things out.”