SAN ANTONIO — Las Vegas oddsmakers are busy with NBA prop futures and projecting the odds on who will take home the 2024-25 Rookie of the Year Award.
And San Antonio Spurs‘ Stephon Castle is rising fast in the odds.
According to oddsmaker OddsShark, the Spurs rookie has odds of +700, which is good for the No. 3 spot in the award race.
76ers’ Jared McCain (-200) and Lakers’ Dalton Knecht (+450) are ahead of Castle.
Castle has been a big surprise at the start of the season.
He’s averaging 12.1 points per game, including 2.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 39% field goal shooting. In his last three games, he posted 16.3 points per game, including 3.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 39% field goal shooting.
“I feel like it just comes from my versatility defensively. I feel like that kind of set it off,” said Castle about his confidence on the court. “And then, just with the playmaking stuff that I can do. I set screens and do whatever I can do on the court to help us win. I feel like that’s where most of the confidence comes from.”
This season, Castle has tied his career-high in points (23) twice, is ranked in the 98th percentile among NBA guards in shooting fouls percentage at 13.8%, has recorded at least one steal in four straight games, and has scored in double figures in 15 of his last 16 outings.
Despite his success this season, he admits he is still learning, which bodes well for him to wrap up his rookie campaign and make a big push for the Rookie of the Year honor.
“Just sticking with our systems, finding places to be aggressive, just understanding who you are on the court with, especially off the ball a lot,” he said. “Knowing when to cut, just stuff like that, get yourself going off easy buckets. It’s always easier to score off your defense, too. Just bringing that kind of intensity, trying to get stops, trying to get easier buckets in transition.”