UConn Hoops Freshmen Intros -- Five-Star G Stephon Castle
The offseason is fully underway and we are a whole month removed from UConn’s national championship run. Although the team is losing some great players to the NBA draft, they have a lot of firepower coming in this fall. Over the next few weeks, UConn Report will be reviewing UConn’s historically great recruiting class that ranks No. 4 in the country. The class starts and ends with 5-star Stephon Castle, the first such talent in nearly a decade and the No. 9 recruit nationally.
SCOUTING REPORT
Just taking a glance at Castle’s game, it’s clear that he’s on a different plane from most of the players he’s faced at the high school level. His positional size is off the charts. Castle stands at 6-6 and can play interchangeably with the one and two slots. He also has a good build with a solid frame and some muscle already.
Looking at his offensive game first, there isn’t an area where he definitively lacks. His inside presence is perhaps Castle’s strongest asset, with the ability to finish through contact. Not only can he take bumps, but he is also adept at using spin moves and has a great layup package. It’s a bit fancy, which helps him avoid getting his shot blocked when he comes up against bigger defenders. The guard’s largest weakness on the interior is the fact that he misses some easier opportunities from time to time, but he’s usually been able to grab his own miss and put another shot up. Once he’s in college this will prove to be tougher, so making sure he makes the most of each opportunity is critical.
Shooting wise, Castle is capable from both the midrange and beyond the arc. One of his best combinations is backing down the defender into a turnaround jumper. At the high school level, it’s virtually unstoppable and as long as he doesn’t have a bigger defender on him, it’ll continue to be tough to guard. He’s also great straight up from the midrange, able to sink shots from around the floor. Looking at his 3-point stroke, he can hit shots. He hasn’t always converted at the highest rate from out there, but he’s confident and he has range. Castle is also unfazed by defenders, which will make the shot all the more difficult to guard once he is able to hone in on it more.
As a passer, he’s proficient and has room to grow. His arsenal of flashy dimes has put scouts in awe and even though it can get a touch sloppy occasionally, there’s little doubt that he’ll clean things up. His handle is great too, another thing that’ll translate well.
On the defensive end, Castle isn’t a finished product, but with his frame, he’s a nearly perfect fit for what coach Dan Hurley wants. He has quick hands and can poke the ball away, but even more so get into the passing lanes. When matched up against smaller players, he’s a great shot-blocker as long as they don’t get too much of a step on him. Simply put, Castle is a disruptor and he makes plays that lead to transition buckets.
One thing that is a minor concern is his motor. Castle doesn’t always appear to move as fast as he could, but that isn’t unheard of with top recruits. He really hasn’t had to so far, so it’s likely that playing for Hurley and upping the talent level will solve the issue.
STORRS IMPACT
A lot of Castle’s playing time and usage hinges on whether or not Andre Jackson Jr. and Tristen Newton stay in the draft. As of now, they’re in the draft, but the prospect of either returning places Castle’s minutes in jeopardy. If neither come back to Storrs though, it’s Castle’s backcourt from day one. With the rest of the guards aside from Hassan Diarra also in their freshmen years, Castle has a bevy of minutes in his future.
His shot making abilities and defense place him in great position to take on a lot of the lead guard duties from the jump. He’s uber-talented and odds are there will be plenty of room for Castle to thrive. For now, he’s not even on campus yet, so his role will become clearer as the summer progresses.
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