By Matthew Couden0ShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberSee more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.As the San Antonio Spurs appear in the NBA Finals, they feature much more than just their young superstar, Victor Wembanyama, with several other young stars emerging on the roster.
Wemby was the team's No. 1 pick in 2024, and the Spurs seemingly followed that selection up with two more slam dunk choices. They selected Stephon Castle fourth overall in 2025 and Dylan Harper second overall in last year's NBA Draft.
Both players are already contributing significantly to this San Antonio squad, which battled past three other worthy teams in the postseason: the Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
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According to ESPN's NBA insider, Brian Windhorst, the championship series presents a massive stage for not only Wemby but also Castle to show further what he's capable of in the league.
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...During ESPN's "First Take" on site in San Antonio for the NBA Finals, Windhorst called Castle the "most important player" for the Spurs in Game 1. He then launched into a further prediction about what's possible for the young Spurs star.
"In all honesty, this could be Stephon Castle's moment to announce his value in the NBA," Windhorst said, adding, "He could emerge from this Finals as one of the most valued players in the league."
He explained that Castle's defensive abilities have been in the spotlight as he has guarded the Trail Blazers' Deni Avdija, the Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards, and the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during the Spurs' run. Those are three extremely talented All-Stars, one of whom is a two-time NBA MVP and champion.
"It is the combination of Wembanyama and Castle that makes their defense so potent," Windhorst told everyone, also adding, "In Round 4, he defends Jalen Brunson. This is one of the most challenging runs a defender can have, and he is 3-0."
Brunson was the Eastern Conference Finals MVP after leading his team to a 4-0 sweep over the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team featuring star players Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. The two-time NBA All-Star has also been able to burn various defenders this postseason, racking up some impressive points and assist numbers during the Knicks' 11-game winning streak.
He's averaging 26 points this season to go with 6.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds throughout this latest run. Castle faced him three times during the past regular season.
On Dec. 31, Brunson had 29 points and eight assists in a 134-132 loss at San Antonio. He dropped 25 points and eight assists in his team's Dec. 16 NBA Cup Championship win over the Spurs, and 24 points and seven assists in the Knicks' 114-89 home win against them in early March.
The upcoming NBA Finals seem to give Castle plenty of room to define himself as an elite defender early in his career, who is also capable of scoring and dishing assists to teammates.
After the team drafted him last season, Castle signed a standard four-year rookie contract. They'll need to exercise the 2027–28 club option on his contract before the end of October to keep him locked in until the 2028 offseason.
Once that 2028 offseason arrives, he becomes a restricted free agent and is likely to command significantly more value based on his impressive performances with San Antonio.
Game 1, featuring Castle and the Spurs against Brunson and the Knicks, begins at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday on ESPN and ABC.
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