“I couldn't give them the UConn plays!": Stephon Castle and Harrison Ingram take on coaching roles at Spurs Basketball clinic
After landing in Gregg Popovich’s roster, Stephon Castle (4th pick) and Harrison Ingram (48th pick) posed for the cameras and soon headed towards the Victory Capital Performance Center. The two rookies engaged with young basketball players through the Spurs Basketball Clinic while also finding time to make a few shots of their own.
Ingram and Castle ran drills with the kids, shared insights, mentored them, joked around, gave out autographs, met the Coyotee mascot and addressed questions alongside plenty of other activities. The two enraged the gym with their fun demeanor, sparking a hilarious moment when Castle drew up a play for a squad.
"I couldn't give them the UConn plays. They not gonna get that one," Stephon Castle said after drawing a dribble pick-handoff and a double-hammer action for his team.
Stephon Castle comes to the big league after experiencing back-to-back championships with the UConn Huskies. He was the Big East Freshman of the Year, just the sixth player to win it in program history. Castle averaged 11.1 points and 4.7 rebounds for the Huskies on 47.2% shooting.
Harrison Ingram comes from the North Carolina Tar Heels after churning out the best collegiate season of his career. He averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals in his lone Tar Heels stint with 43% efficiency.
Stephon Castle might have to wait for the point role in San Antonio
Given how the Spurs struggled due to the lack of a point guard last season, Stephon Castle’s inclusion brought a sigh of relief for the fans and a sense of certainty for the UConn star.
However, the Spurs have recently signed veteran point guard Chris Paul, potentially cutting Castle’s court time, at least on the point. Moreover, it could also mean that Castle can come off the bench for coach Pop instead of the starter role he was aligned for during the draft.
Nevertheless, Paul has signed with the Spurs for only the upcoming season. The 2024-25 season will be CP3’s 20th NBA season and can work wonders in Castle’s mentorship and make him ready for the grand stage, especially the playoffs.