Tag: Stephon Castle

Dan Hurley reacts to Stephon Castle declaring for 2024 NBA draft

Castle was named the Big East Freshman of the Year after averaging 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

UConn freshman Stephon Castle told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN on Friday that he will forgo his remaining college eligibility and declare for the 2024 NBA draft.

Castle was named the Big East Freshman of the Year after averaging 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 47.2% shooting from the field. He is the sixth player in program history to win the award and the first since Daniel Hamilton in the 2014-15 season.

The 6-foot-6 guard emerged as a key player for the Huskies this year, helping them win their second straight national championship. He totaled 36 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in two games in the Final Four as UConn knocked off Alabama and Purdue.

His coach, Dan Hurley, praised him after his draft announcement.

Castle is viewed as a potential lottery pick after a strong campaign. He has emerged as a great perimeter defender with his size, versatility and instincts. He was often matched up with the opposing teams’ best players and made life difficult for them.

He will have the opportunity to improve his draft positioning in team interviews and workouts over the pre-draft process. He could also be invited to compete in the G League Elite Camp or draft combine next month in Chicago, Illinois.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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UConn sophomore Alex Karaban to declare for NBA draft, retain eligibility

Karaban helped the Huskies to their second straight title, averaging 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds on 37.9% shooting from 3-point range.

UConn sophomore Alex Karaban announced Thursday on social media that he will declare for the 2024 NBA draft while retaining his remaining college eligibility.

Karaban helped the Huskies to their second straight championship after averaging 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists on 37.9% shooting from 3-point range. He produced eight 20-point games, including a season-high 26 points and seven rebounds on Dec. 9.

The 21-year-old joins teammate Donovan Clingan in declaring for the draft this year, while Stephon Castle, Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer are also expected to enter. Clingan and Castle are projected to be lottery picks.

Karaban isn’t projected to be drafted, though he will have the opportunity to improve his stock in team interviews and workouts. He could also be invited to compete in the G League Elite Camp or draft combine next month in Chicago, Illinois.

He has until May 29 to withdraw from the draft and return to school.

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Stephon Castle: NBA draft scouting report and intel

2004 | 6’6 | 6’9 WS | 215 LBS Team: Connecticut Best aggregate mock draft rank: 5 / Worst rank: 20 Agency: Wasserman Group 2023-24 stats: In 32 games, Castle averaged 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, with 2.9 assists. He shot 47.0 percent from …

2004 | 6’6 | 6’9 WS | 215 LBS

Team: Connecticut

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 5 / Worst rank: 20

Agency: Wasserman Group

2023-24 stats:

In 32 games, Castle averaged 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, with 2.9 assists. He shot 47.0 percent from the field, 26.2 percent from three, and 76.0 percent from the free-throw line. Additionally, he recorded 0.6 blocks, 0.8 steals, and 1.5 turnovers per game.

His father, Stacey Castle, starred at Far Rockaway High and was a teammate of current UConn associate head coach Kimani Young. He played briefly at Oak Hill Academy before committing to Wake Forest, where he played alongside Tim Duncan.

NCAA basketball National Championship Game: Purdue vs. UConn prop bet picks and predictions

Analyzing Monday’s Purdue vs. UConn National Championship Game with expert picks and predictions of the best 4 prop bets to make.

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The Purdue Boilermakers (34-4) and UConn Huskies (36-3) will meet in the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game Monday in Glendale, Ariz. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:20 p.m. (TBS). Below, we break down BetMGM Sportsbook’s before NCAA basketball National Championship prop bet odds, and tab the best Purdue vs. UConn prop bets to make among SportsbookWire’s expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.

Both were favorites and covered in their respective Final Four games Saturday.

Purdue, the Midwest’s No. 1 seed, beat NC State 63-50 as a 9.5-point favorite in the 1st semifinal with the Under (147) easily cashing. The Wolfpack were the big surprise in the Final Four, winning the South Region as the No. 11 seed, but the magical run finally came to an end.

UConn, the East’s top seed, defeated Alabama 86-72 and covered as a 10-point favorite with the Under (160.5) coming in. The Huskies, who are No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, held just a 4-point lead at the half and were tied at 56-all with just over 12 minutes to go against the Crimson Tide, who were the 4th seed out of the West Region.

The Huskies closed with a 30-16 run to finish off the Tide and move a win away from its 6th national title and from becoming the 1st repeat champion since the 2006-’07 Florida Gators. Only UCLA (11), Kentucky (8) and North Carolina (6) have more titles, while UConn is tied with Duke and Indiana at 5 championships each.

The Boilermakers, the No. 3 team in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, are searching for their 1st NCAA title. They have been to the title game once before, losing to UCLA in 1969.

Purdue is led by 2024 AP Player of the Year C Zach Edey. He’s the 1st men’s basketball player to capture the award in consecutive seasons since Virginia’s Ralph Sampson won 3 in a row 1981–’83. Ohio State’s Jerry Lucas (1961-’62), UCLA’s Bill Walton (1972-’73) and NC State’s David Thompson (1974-’75) are the only players to win the award more than once.

Purdue is 5-0 against the spread (ATS) in its 5 NCAA Tourney games with the Under going 4-1, while UConn is also 5-0 ATS with the Under at 5-0. Big East schools own a perfect 7-0 straight up (SU) and ATS record in championship games since 2001, while Big Ten teams are winless at 0-7 SU and ATS.

Now, let’s make some money on some prop bets.

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Best Purdue vs. UConn National Championship Game prop bets picks

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook’s; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:55 a.m. ET.

Purdue G Braden Smith OVER 5.5 rebounds (+120)

Listed at 6-foot, Smith may be one of the shortest men on the court, but he plays bigger. He has pulled down 8, 7, and 8 rebounds over his last 3 NCAA Tournament games against teams with very athletic guards like Tennessee and NC State. Smith averages 5.9 rebounds per game on the season, so he just needs to hit his average and we’re getting plus-money on this prop.

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UConn G Stephon Castle OVER 4.5 rebounds (-130)

Sure, there’s a bit of juice for this one, but it’s because it seems like a lock. Castle grabbed at least 5 rebounds in 4 of UConn’s 5 NCAA Tourney games. He got into foul trouble against Northwestern in the 2nd round which is the reason he only finished with 2 boards. The 6-foot-6 guard averages 4.7 rebounds per game this season and isn’t afraid to mix it up with big men like Edey.

Purdue G Fletcher Loyer OVER 9.5 points (-120)

Here’s another bet with a bit of juice, but you’ve got to feel good about this one Monday night. Loyer has hit double-digit points in Purdue’s last 4 games. The only reason he didn’t get there in the Boilers’ NCAA Tourney opener against Gambling is because he only played 25 minutes in a blowout, and he still knocked down 8 points. Loyer has been a huge piece to the Boilermakers’ success in this tournament.

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Purdue UNDER 69.5 team total points (-110)

Enough people don’t give UConn the credit it deserves for its defensive ability. The Huskies rank 10th in the country at points allowed per game (PPG) at just 63.5 points, per CBSSports.com. This is after holding the top scoring team in the country in Alabama (90.1 PPG) to 72 points in their Final Four matchup. If you recall, UConn shut down Illinois’ high-powered offense (83.4 PPG) to just 52 points in the Elite 8, which included a 9-minute stretch where UConn went on a 30-0 run. Plus, the Boilermakers only scored 63 vs. NC State Saturday.

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Potential Sixers draft prospect Stephon Castle helps UConn to Final Four

Potential Philadelphia 76ers draft prospect Stephon Castle helped UConn to the Final Four with a win over Illinois.

While the Philadelphia 76ers have bigger things to worry about in the 2023-24 season as they stumble toward the playoffs, there is no harm in looking ahead to the offseason and thinking of any potential pickups.

At the moment, the Sixers own their first-round pick. While President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey could certainly flip the pick for a player who can help the Sixers win right now, some players in the NCAA Tournament can help them.

One of those players is Stephon Castle of UConn. The young Huskies guard only had two points, but his defense on Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. was fantastic in a 77-52 win that sent UConn to the Final Four.

Shannon entered this Elite 8 matchup as the hottest player of the tournament, but Castle led the charge in holding him to eight points on 2-for-12 shooting. Castle’s calling card is on the defensive end and that will go a long way in helping any NBA team win.

It will be interesting to see what the Sixers do in June when the draft comes around. Philadelphia still has title hopes and Morey and Co. will have to figure out what the best course of action is.

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Potential Sixers draft prospect Stephon Castle leads UConn to Elite 8

Potential Philadelphia 76ers draft prospect Stephon Castle had a nice night to lead UConn to the Elite 8.

While the Philadelphia 76ers have bigger things to worry about in the 2023-24 season as they stumble toward the playoffs, there is no harm in looking ahead to the offseason and thinking of any potential pickups.

At the moment, the Sixers own their first-round pick. While President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey could certainly flip the pick for a player who can help the Sixers win right now, some players in this NCAA Tournament can help them.

One of those players is Stephon Castle of UConn. In an 82-52 win over San Diego State on Thursday in the Sweet 16, he had 16 points, 11 rebounds and two assists. He was terrific defensively and helped UConn get to the Elite 8 with his play on both ends of the floor.

If the Sixers were to select Castle, he would be somebody who can produce on both ends of the floor and is somebody who can make a difference off the bench.

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Spurs select UConn forward with pick No. 7 in recent NBA Mock Draft

In a recent NBA Mock Draft, the San Antonio Spurs are projected to pick UConn forward Stephon Castle.

The San Antonio Spurs have a big opportunity to improve their roster around Victor Wembanyama this summer. Obviously, free agency will be a big part of that, but perhaps even more important is who they choose to select in the 2024 NBA Draft. They could have a pair of top-10 selections to work with.

The Spurs’ pick is likely to fall in the top three, but they could also end up with the Toronto Raptors’ pick. That selection is top-six protected, but the Raptors are currently projected to have the seventh-overall pick in the draft. San Antonio could have a chance to bring in two top-10 players this summer.

In a recent NBA Mock Draft from No Ceilings, the Spurs are projected to pick UConn forward Stephon Castle with the seventh pick.

“The San Antonio Spurs desperately need shooting, which Stephon Castle unfortunately won’t provide,” wrote Tyler Metcalf. “Luckily, their first pick in Reed Sheppard does. What Castle does offer, though, is high-level competency in every other facet of the game. Currently, Castle ranks in at least the 74th percentile in handoffs, pick-and-roll scoring, pick-and-roll including passes, and transition scoring, per Synergy. Coming out of high school, Castle was a point guard, so he’s very familiar with running the show. What this season has shown us, though, is that Castle is more than capable of playing a complementary role. Additionally, it’s proven that Castle is also a fantastic defender. When Castle is on the court, UConn’s defensive rating is 91, which ranks fourth. When he’s off the court, it jumps to 98.6, which ranks 47th. With the Spurs, Castle can fill in the gaps around Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, and Reed Sheppard. While Castle will need to figure out his jumper in some form or fashion, the mechanics are far from broken. As he figures that out, though, he can provide defensive versatility, connective playmaking, a high basketball IQ, and a ton of potential to grow into an even more versatile player.”

In this mock, the Spurs would have already selected Reed Sheppard out of Kentucky with the third pick, so adding Castle’s defense would make sense.

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2024 NBA Mock Draft: Latest first-round projections at midway point of season

Rookie Wire took a look at the 2024 NBA draft class and where the top prospects stand as of Feb. 1.

The top NBA draft prospects worldwide have collectively reached the second halves of their respective seasons as they look to showcase themselves in front of scouts and executives.

The class this year has seen several players help their stock, while others have struggled and fallen down draft boards. Some players have also dealt with recent injuries and other factors that have prevented them from reaching their potential.

The draft is widely considered open at the top of the board, with several prospects in the conversation to be the first selection. Unlike last year, when Victor Wembanyama was the consensus No. 1 pick, there is no clear-cut choice this year.

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Prospects will continue to see their standing fluctuate over the remaining two-plus months of action on the court as scouts have more time to evaluate them. The sheer unknown atop the draft board should create plenty of storylines to follow over the remainder of the season.

The NBA announced on Wednesday that the draft will be expanded to a two-night format, with the first round set to take place on June 26 at the Barclays Center. The second round will be at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York the following night.

Rookie Wire looked at the class and where the top prospects stand at this point of the season. The order was determined by the reverse order of the NBA standings as of Feb. 1.

Note: Player fit wasn’t necessarily taken into account with each pick. Pick protections and other notes courtesy of Tankathon.

2024 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Projecting the first round with Ja’Kobe Walter leading the way

The 2023 NBA Draft is challenging to predict but that won’t stop us from trying.

The 2024 NBA Draft is a genuinely challenging class to predict but that isn’t going to stop us from trying.

At this point in the season, there aren’t many players who have separated themselves as “can’t miss” prospects. Similarly, many players have clumped together in a similar tier and it is hard to differentiate much between many of those names.

If you’re into uncertainty and like the thrill of the unexpected, this is a fun group of players to evaluate because anything can happen and lots can (and will) change. But for those who want something more clear-cut, this process may become more frustrating.

Our mock draft looks different than some others around the industry and we expect that to remain true until the draft happens. Lots of factors will weigh into how teams evaluate these prospects and so that makes predictions even more hard to pinpoint than usual. While there is a lot we have learned, there is lots more to learn as well.

Unless noted otherwise, all data outside of the NCAA was pulled from our friends at Cerebro Sports — you can create a free account to evaluate player performance across all levels globally.

Our order was determined based on expected wins averaged out from ESPN, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. The teams outside the top eight in each conference were considered lottery squads. Trades were pulled from this database at RealGM.

The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

2024 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Projecting the first round before the season, with Alex Sarr rising

We’ve got some early risers on the second edition of our 2024 NBA mock draft.

Before the 2023-24 NBA season begins, we wanted to take another look at how the upcoming draft class is shaping up.

Most scouts would tell you that this isn’t as exciting of a class without a big name like Victor Wembanyama (or even Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller or either Thompson twin) in the mix.

But that does not mean there isn’t value across the board that executives can find, especially as some prospects will certainly have breakout campaigns for their respective teams.

After extensive research and conversations around the league, based on our intel and projections, this is how we see the 2024 NBA Draft unfolding as of right now.

You’ll notice that, as ESPN did, we excluded Bronny James from these projections. If he returns with a clean bill of health, that could change in our next mock draft.

Unless noted otherwise, all data was pulled from our friends at Cerebro Sports — you can create a free account to evaluate player performance across all levels globally. We also used AI-Powered statistics provided by the Stats Perform database.

Our order was determined based on reversed odds to win the 2024 NBA Finals. The teams outside the top eight in each conference were considered lottery squads. Trades were pulled from this database at RealGM.

With all that in mind, here is how I’d project the 2024 NBA Draft:

The best takes and the sharpest bets on all the hoops storylines you need to know. Sign up for our Layup Lines newsletter, hitting your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.