By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-06-26 23:03:07
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)在康涅狄格大学打的是非持球角色，他希望在 NBA 回归传统的控球后卫角色。
在康涅狄格大学扮演了另一个角色后，马刺新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)渴望在 NBA 担任控球后卫，而他的高中教练相信他可以毫无问题地完成转型。
“他对比赛了如指掌，”查理曼·吉本斯(Charlemagne Gibbons)在马刺在 NBA 选秀大会上以第四顺位选中卡斯尔后，于周三晚上说道。
“他对比赛有很好的感觉，”吉本斯补充道。“与他们在圣安东尼奥的队友合作，他将在挡拆中创造机会，他会找到射手。他们应该对得到的结果感到非常高兴。”
在这位身高 6 英尺 6 英寸、体重 215 磅的五星级多才多艺的后卫与康涅狄格大学签约之前，吉本斯曾在亚特兰大地区的科文顿市牛顿高中执教过卡斯尔。
由于五年级的老将特里斯坦·牛顿(Tristen Newton)负责球队的进攻，哈士奇队要求卡斯尔在上个赛季成为一名高水平的防守球员，他在学校连续第二次获得 NCAA 冠军的过程中出色地扮演了这个角色。
尽管卡斯尔很高兴在哈士奇队打无球，但这位 19 岁的球员渴望回归控球后卫的位置。
“我觉得我可以和任何类型的球员以任何方式打球，但我也觉得我在大学里做出了牺牲，”卡斯尔上个月在芝加哥的联合试训上说。“现在，我们谈论的是我的职业生涯，这是我引以为豪的事情。现在，我真的想打控球后卫。”
吉本斯相信卡斯尔非常适合这份工作。
马刺在上个赛季的大部分时间里都让特雷·琼斯(Tre Jones)担任首发控球后卫，但这位五年级的职业球员身高只有 6 英尺 1 英寸，身材矮小。
“他是一个天生的球场指挥官，”吉本斯谈到卡斯尔时说。“他喜欢让队友参与到比赛中来。有些球员这样做是因为他们出于需要而这样做。他这样做是因为他喜欢这样做。给队友传球，为队友创造机会，对他来说和得分一样令人兴奋。我认为他们从第一天起就能从他的个性中感受到这一点。”
马刺总经理布莱恩·赖特(Brian Wright)表示，马刺将卡斯尔视为一名“篮球运动员”。
“我想你会看到他在球场上无所不能，”赖特说。“就像他在高中打控球后卫一样，你会看到他设置掩护，然后冲向篮筐完成终结。所以这种多才多艺很棒。再说一遍，球员们会投入训练，向你展示他们最擅长的地方，所以我们会看看他会落在哪里。”
“但他有很棒的技术，很棒的多才多艺，我们很高兴看到他会有什么样的发展。”
吉本斯和卡斯尔一起在布鲁克林参加了选秀大会，他还称赞了卡斯尔的竞争力，这一点在这位佐治亚州人在 2019-20 赛季的新秀赛季就显露无疑。
“我看到了一个聪明的年轻人，他很有冲劲，很有决心，而且是个好孩子，”吉本斯说。“他在整个高中阶段都是同一个人。”
卡斯尔在高中的最后一年场均得到 20.1 分、9.5 个篮板、4.8 次助攻、3.0 次抢断和 2.0 次盖帽，带领公羊队打进了 7A 级别的州四分之一决赛。
“我对他提出了极高的要求（作为一名新生），”吉本斯说，他现在是佐治亚州盖恩斯维尔市盖恩斯维尔高中的主教练。“年复一年，我看到了他的进步。”
卡斯尔是马刺队史第二位来自康涅狄格大学的球员
卡斯尔将成为第二位效力于马刺的康涅狄格大学球员。
鲁迪·盖伊(Rudy Gay)在 2017 年 7 月以自由球员身份与马刺签约后，成为第一个穿上银黑战袍的哈士奇队球员。他在 2020-2021 赛季结束后以自由球员身份离开，与犹他爵士队签约。
盖伊在 2004 年至 2006 年期间在康涅狄格大学打了两个赛季。
在 4 月 8 日于亚利桑那州格伦代尔举行的 NCAA 男子篮球四强锦标赛上半场，康涅狄格大学后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(5)带球突破，普渡大学后卫兰斯·琼斯(Lance Jones)防守。
马刺再次选中了一名十几岁的球员
马刺连续第三个赛季在第一轮选中了一名十几岁的球员。
卡斯尔将在 11 月 1 日年满 20 岁。马刺过去五名首轮秀都不到 20 岁：维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)（2023 年 19 岁）、杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)（2022 年 19 岁）、马拉基·布拉纳姆(Malaki Branham)（2022 年 19 岁）、布雷克·韦斯利(Blake Wesley)（2022 年 19 岁）和约书亚·普里莫(Josh Primo)（2021 年 18 岁）。
马刺在 2020 年第一轮选中了德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)，当时他刚满 20 岁。由于疫情，那年的选秀大会在 11 月举行。
周三，在 2024 年 NBA 选秀大会第一轮结束后，马刺总经理布莱恩·赖特在维克托资本表演中心接受媒体采访。
周三，在 2024 年 NBA 选秀大会第一轮结束后，马刺总经理布莱恩·赖特在维克托资本表演中心接受媒体采访。
周三，在 2024 年 NBA 选秀大会第一轮结束后，马刺总经理布莱恩·赖特在维克托资本表演中心接受媒体采访。
周三，在 2024 年 NBA 选秀大会第一轮结束后，马刺总经理布莱恩·赖特在维克托资本表演中心接受媒体采访。
点击查看原文：Spurs draftee Castle's prep coach believes he'll thrive at point guard
Spurs draftee Castle’s prep coach believes he’ll thrive at point guard
Stephon Castle, who played off the ball at Connecticut, wants to return to a traditional point guard role in the NBA.
Spurs draftee Stephon Castle is itching to play point guard in the NBA after filling another role at Connecticut, and his high school coach believes he would have no problem making the transition.
“He really knows the game in and out,” Charlemagne Gibbons said Wednesday night after the Spurs grabbed Castle with the fourth overall pick in the NBA draft.
“He’s got a great feel for the game,” Gibbons added. “Teaming up with the guys they have in San Antonio, he’ll make plays in the pick and roll and he will find shooters. They should be extremely happy with what they’ve got.”
Gibbons coached Castle at Newton High in Covington, Ga., in the Atlanta area before the 6-foot-6, 215-pound five-star multi-talented guard signed with Connecticut.
With fifth-year senior Tristen Newton running their offense, the Huskies asked Castle to be a high-level defender last season, a role he excelled at in the school’s run to a second straight NCAA championship.
Although he was happy to play off the ball with the Huskies, Castle, 19, is eager to return to point guard.
“I feel like I can play with any kind of guys in any kind of way, but I also feel like I made that sacrifice in college,” Castle said at the combine last month in Chicago. “Now, we’re talking about my career, and that’s something I take pride in. Now, I really want to play the one.”
Gibbons believes Castle is well-suited for that job.
The Spurs started Tre Jones at point guard much of last season two seasons, but the fifth-year pro is undersized at 6-foot-1.
“He is a natural floor general,” Gibbons said of Castle. “And he loves to get his teammates involved in the game. Some guys do it because they do it out of need. He does it because he loves to do it. Making passes to his teammates, making plays for his teammates is just as exciting to him as scoring the basketball. I think they will be able to pick that up from his personality from day one.”
Spurs general manager Brian Wright said the Spurs view Castle as a “basketball player.”
“I think you’ll see him all over the place,” Wright said. “As much as he played point guard in high school, you would see him setting a screen and roll into the basket and finishing. So that type of versatility is great. And again, guys come in and work and show you where they’re best, and so we’ll see where that lands.
“But he’s got great skills, great versatility, and we’re excited to see where that goes.”
Gibbons, who was with Castle at the draft in Brooklyn, also touted Castle’s competitiveness, which was apparent to the coach during the Georgia native’s freshman season in 2019-20.
“I saw a bright young man that had a lot of drive, a lot of determination and was a great kid,” Gibbons said. “He was the same guy all through high school.”
Castle finished his senior year of high school averaging 20.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 3.0 steals and 2.0 blocks per game in leading the Rams to the Class 7A state quarterfinals.
“I challenged him extremely hard (as a freshman),” said Gibbons, now head coach at Gainesville High in Gainesville, Ga. “Year by year by year, I saw his progression.”
Castle only second Spur from UConn
Castle is set to become just the second Connecticut player to suit up for the Spurs.
Rudy Gay became the first player from the Huskies to wear the Silver & Black after he signed with the Spurs as a free agent in July 2017. He left in free agency to sign with Utah after the 2020-2021 season.
Gay played two seasons at Connecticut from 2004-2006.
UConn guard Stephon Castle (5) drives as Purdue guard Lance Jones defends during the first half of the NCAA college Final Four championship basketball game on April 8 in Glendale, Ariz.
Spurs select another teen
For the third consecutive season, the Spurs drafted a teenager in the first round.
Castle is set to turn 20 on Nov. 1. The Spurs’ last five first-round picks have all been under 20: Victor Wembanyama (19 years old in 2023), Jeremy Sochan (19 in 2022), Malaki Branham (19 in 2022), Blake Wesley (19 in 2022) and Josh Primo (18 in 2021).
The Spurs drafted Devin Vassell in the first round in 2020 after he turned 20 in August. The draft was held in November that year because of the pandemic.
Spurs general manager Brian Wright fields questions from the media at the Victory Capital Performance Center following the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday.
Spurs general manager Brian Wright fields questions from the media at the Victory Capital Performance Center following the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday.
Spurs general manager Brian Wright fields questions from the media at the Victory Capital Performance Center following the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday.
Spurs general manager Brian Wright fields questions from the media at the Victory Capital Performance Center following the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News