Stephon Castle’s Two-Way Brilliance Is Fueling the Spurs’ Growth - and Wemby Knows It
Stephon Castle was impressive in his first NBA season - Rookie of the Year impressive. But year two?
He’s leveling up, and the San Antonio Spurs are reaping the rewards. Just ask Victor Wembanyama.
“That’s his worth. That he can shut down guys,” Wembanyama said after the Spurs’ 111-99 win over the Houston Rockets - a game where Castle didn’t just show up, he took over on both ends.
Castle’s stat line was solid: 16 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals. But the numbers only tell part of the story. What really stood out was who he was guarding - and how he handled them.
In the fourth quarter, Castle was tasked with defending both Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun. That’s a 6-foot-6 guard taking on two 6-foot-11 scorers with very different games.
“That’s his worth…
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) January 29, 2026
It’s just amazing
Every game I’m so glad we got him in the draft…” ⬇️
-Victor Wembanyama on Stephon Castle after Steph put up 16, 6(a), 5(r), 2 steals while guarding Durant & Sengun in a 4th that led to a 111-99 #Spurs win in Houston#PorVida #GoSpursGo pic.twitter.com/paLmQoxL51
Durant works the perimeter with surgical precision. Sengun is all craft and footwork near the rim.
Castle didn’t flinch. He disrupted Durant’s rhythm on the wing, then turned around and made life difficult for Sengun in the paint.
That’s not just versatility - that’s elite defensive instinct and toughness.
“I try to hang my hat on that end,” Castle said afterward. “So any challenges that the coaches give me on that end, I accept it.”
It’s that mentality - the willingness to take on the toughest assignments - that’s making Castle invaluable to this young Spurs team. And he’s not doing it alone.
“We had great communication behind me when I was guarding those guys,” Castle noted. “So I was able to get a few stops in the fourth.”
That fourth quarter was the turning point. San Antonio held Houston to just 13 points in the final frame, clamping down when it mattered most. For Wembanyama, it was a sign that the team’s defensive identity is taking shape.
“They’re never going to end with 52 points,” Wemby said, referring to Houston’s second-half total. “But it’s the goal to get closer and closer to that. And also, to reduce their best stints.”
That’s the kind of mindset you want from your franchise cornerstone - and it’s clearly rubbing off on the rest of the roster.
Castle, for his part, sees the defensive effort as the foundation for everything the Spurs are trying to build.
“I feel like if we do those things, the little things, we’re going to win the majority of the games that we play in,” Castle said. “And the games that we lose, we understand why.
We’re not coming out of games confused on why we lost. We know exactly why.”
That level of accountability is rare in a second-year player. But it’s becoming the norm for Castle - and it’s exactly why Wembanyama is so thrilled to have him as a teammate.
“Having a guy so good on both sides of the floor is just amazing,” Wemby said. “Every game, I’m so glad we got him in the draft. It’s amazing.”
With Castle embracing the toughest assignments and Wembanyama anchoring the paint, the Spurs are starting to look like a team that’s figuring out how to win - not just in spurts, but when it counts. And if this is the kind of leap Castle is making in just his second season, San Antonio’s future is in very good hands.