“He’s got that dog in him,” said Julian Champagnie about rookie Stephon Castle.
SAN ANTONIO — Many believe San Antonio Spurs‘ Stephon Castle has the 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year Award locked up, but if the rookie guard needs another vote, he can count on his teammate Julian Champagnie.
“He has my vote for Rookie of the Year. Put that out there right now,” Champagnie said following the team’s road win against the Warriors.
The standout rookie heads above his rookie class in several categories, showing his impact on both sides of the court.
He leads all rookies in total points (1154), steals (73), free throws made (238), free throw attempts (333), field goals made (412) and field goal attempts (962).
He’s won the NBA Rookie of the Month Award twice this season and is at the top of the NBA’s Rookie Ladder.
“Obviously, his rookie year is coming to an end,” Champagnie said. “I mean, he’s going out there, I think he’s done a good job all year.”
Defensively, Castle has been embracing the task of defending the league’s best perimeter player. He’s been tasked with guarding Stephon Curry, Luka Doncic and other All-Star caliber players – and he has ducked those challenges.
“Taking on those challenges. I don’t think there’s been one game where he hasn’t played and he hasn’t guarded the best player on the other team. That’s just what he does,” Champagnie said.
“He’s got that dog in him,” he said.
Castle has been taking advantage of the increased minutes with guard De’Aaron Fox out for the season (finger surgery).
He’s scored in double figures in 15 of the last 16 games, including recording 20-plus points in seven games in that span. He’s also logged 30-plus minutes per game in the previous six outings.
His teammates have trusted him on the court this season and they have confidence in him on defense and offense, as evidenced by veteran guard Chris Paul’s confidence that Castle can manage a tight game against the Warriors on Wednesday night down the stretch.
“I went up to Steph (Castle), and I just said, ‘Manage the game,’ because practice is one thing, but it’s nothing like playing in the games,” said Paul.
Castle did just that, scoring seven points, going 2-2 from the field and handing out four assists in seven minutes in the final period in a win over the Warriors.
This season has been remarkable for the 20-year-old guard out of UConn. If he wins the Rookie of the Year award, he’ll join some elite franchise company—David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Victor Wemabayama—who also took the award.
“I don’t care how old on paper; he’s a grown man,” said Champagnie. “So for Steph, you go out there and hoop and keep doing his thing.”