The standout freshman is projected by many to be a lottery pick.
Stephon Castle is off to the NBA after helping UConn win a national championship and putting together one of the best freshman seasons in program history.
The Big East Freshman of the Year declared for the NBA Draft Friday and has signed with the Wasserman Group, meaning he has opted to forego his remaining college eligibility. The Covington, Georgia native was UConn’s first “one-and-done” player since Andre Drummond in 2012. Drummond would go on to be selected with the No. 9 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
No Freshman impacted WINNING like this Champion…His combination of talent, work ethic and humility…And GREAT parents!! https://t.co/FuLWp0OA48
— Dan Hurley (@dhurley15) April 19, 2024
The choice to head to the pros after one season makes a ton of sense, as Castle is a consensus top-five player on draft boards. After dealing with a minor knee injury that cost him six games early in the season, Castle quickly established himself as a standout player on both ends. He finished the season averaging 11.1 points and 2.9 assists per game and was the Huskies’ best perimeter defender all season.
During UConn’s title run, Castle routinely guarded the opposing team’s best defender and locked him up. Illinois star Terrance Shannon Jr. was held to just eight points and 2-12 shooting after averaging over 27 per game prior to the Elite Eight matchup with the Huskies. Mark Sears of Alabama and Purdue’s Braden Smith didn’t fare much better either. Marquette’s Kam Jones and PC’s Devin Carter also felt the Castle clamps come down on them.
Castle was also a force offensively in Phoenix, scoring a team-high 21 points in the win over Alabama and adding 15 points in the title game win over Purdue. He was one of four Huskies named to the 2024 All-Tournament team.
With elite size (6-foot-6), athleticism, and passing ability, Castle will almost certainly be a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The only concern at this time is his 3-point shooting ability. He shot 26.7 percent overall from deep this season but shot it better in conference play (32.6 percent) and was 3-10 during the Final Four. No matter what, Castle is one of the most exciting players in the 2024 draft class.
“I completely understand the shooting concerns with Castle; they’re real. But where I’m at in this class is simple: It’s hard to find guys who have proven they can be a part of winning basketball. And throughout the course of Big East play as well as the NCAA Tournament, Castle showcased that better than any other guy in this class. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie said in his 2024 big board article. “I’m not sure what more evaluators want him to do. Throughout the season, Castle consistently took on the toughest assignment on the perimeter and wing defensively for Connecticut, a top-five defense in the country, and found success.”