Stephon Castle is one of the top players in the southeast who has starred for Atlanta Xpress this AAU season. Castle is a slashing guard who is extremely effective working off of secondary actions. His athletic tools, mainly his shift and wiggle, makes it tough to stay in front of him and he flashes a ton of promise as a shot maker. He committed to UConn back in November.
In our interview at USA Basketball Men's U18 training camp, Castle talks about his New York background, the differences playing with USA basketball compared to his high school and grassroots teams, his decision to commit to UConn, and much more.
For the next installment of the Pro Insight Q&A series, we present 2023 UConn commit Stephon Castle from Atlanta, Georgia:
Pro Insight: Congratulations on being selected to USAB training camp! What’s been your impression so far?
Stephon Castle: It's been really good. Just being able to come out here with a group of really good players and knowing that I made the first cut, it's a good feeling.
PI: What are you hoping to show, or prove, over these next few days?
SC: Everybody here can score, everybody here can jump. I'm just trying to show that I can do more of the little things like defense, intensity, rebounding — all the little stuff.
PI: Who have you most enjoyed playing with or against, in particular?
SC: I'd say any of the bigs, cause my high school team and AAU team, I don't have bigs that I can just like throw lobs to. When I'm coming out of the pick-and-rolls and these bigs are rolling, I can just throw it up.
PI: What are you most excited for at UConn? What can we expect from you at the next level?
SC: UConn hasn't been the same in a minute, so just bringing it back to how it was in the old days. Just showing what I can do out there.
PI: Coming into your senior year, what are your biggest goals personally over the next season?
SC: I'm trying to win Gatorade Player of the Year for Georgia. Hopefully win Hoophall and we're going to City of Palms this year, so just trying to be more of a winning team this year.
PI: Can you share a bit about your family, your background, where you’re from, and what led to this point?
SC: Most of my family is from New York and I'm in a basketball family. I've been surrounded by it my whole life, so being here, one of the first people in my family here, it's a blessing. My dad, he played college basketball at UCF and Wake Forest, so he was really good at basketball, too. He just helped me along the way, giving me tips, giving me pointers, just keeping my head on straight.
PI: Did you play any other sports growing up?
SC: I started off playing basketball. I was pretty good, but the reason I stopped playing was cause my coach had passed, but the switch brought me here, so it's been a blessing.
PI: Who have been your biggest influences/role models?
SC: I'd say Kobe and right now my favorite player is Jayson Tatum. Just how Kobe played and how talented they both are, I'd say those are the big two.
PI: Who are your top-five music artists right now?
SC: I'd say Baby, Youngboy, Durk, Rod Wave, and Future.
PI: What are your interests off the court?
SC: I don't really do too much off the court. I mean I play games and I like to hang out with my friends, but other than that, I'm probably in the gym, sleep, or at practice or something.
PI: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
SC: “Just keep playing till the buzzer.” I've been part of a lot of comebacks, just being down by 20, and you just have to keep playing.
PI: If basketball wasn’t an option, what’s a career that you think you’d pursue?
SC: Probably something business-wise, maybe start my own business. I really like stocks and stuff like that, so if I didn't have basketball, that's probably what I'd do.
PI: What’s something most people have no idea about you?
SC: That I'm actually from New York and the baseball thing.
PI: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
SC: Hopefully in the league on a winning team, being able to play in one of those playoff games going on right now.
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