Stephon Castle, a rookie for the San Antonio Spurs, made headlines by clinching the Rising Stars MVP trophy during the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend. The Rising Stars game, a highlight of the weekend, showcased Castle's prowess as he led his team, "Team C," to victory in the round robin-style tournament. This thrilling event unfolded with four teams of eight players each, vying for supremacy on the court. Castle's remarkable performance helped secure a coveted spot in Sunday's All-Star Game for Team C.
The Rising Stars game began with Team C, under the guidance of coaches Chris Mullin and later Candace Parker, facing off against "Team T" in a closely contested match. The target score for victory was set at 40 points in the first two group games and 25 in the final game. Castle's decisive jump shot sealed the win for Team C in their opening game. Meanwhile, Team G League surprised many by defeating Team M to reach the Rising Stars final.
In the final match, Castle continued to shine by scoring 11 points and contributing three assists. One of his assists set up Utah Jazz rookie Keyonte George's game-winning 3-pointer. Castle and his teammates celebrated not only their on-court success but also a $35,000 bonus each for their victory on Friday. Their performance also earned them a berth in Sunday's prestigious All-Star Game.
Stephon Castle's participation in the All-Star Weekend doesn't end there. He will compete in the dunk contest on Saturday night, joining Blake Griffin as one of the last players to participate in events across all three nights of the All-Star Weekend. Castle's All-Star Game opponents include "Shaq's Ogs," featuring future Hall of Famers LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant.
Castle expressed his excitement about participating in such a significant event:
"As a basketball player, it's really all I can ask for, watching those guys all the time growing up, so to share my first All-Star weekend with them and be able to share the court with them is a blessing." – Stephon Castle
Castle's confidence and determination were evident as he spoke about his team's approach to the games:
"We're out there with nothing to lose," – Stephon Castle
"We're out there playing confident, playing free. So, I just wouldn't count us out." – Stephon Castle
Teammate Dalton Knecht also shared his thoughts on facing some of basketball's biggest stars:
"I'm playing against Bron, so I get to go against one of my teammates." – Dalton Knecht
Knecht added:
"I usually don't start it. I usually don't start talking. I usually try to finish it." – Dalton Knecht
Another rising star, Jordan "Jo" Geronimo, hinted at his ambitions for the weekend:
"I don't want to spoil anything, but I'll just say the MVP trophy isn't the only trophy I'm trying to take home." – Jordan "Jo" Geronimo
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