Viral Post Highlights Defender Who Locked Down Luka Dončić, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg, More
The San Antonio Spurs have had the last two NBA Rookie of the Year. The most recent one, however, wasn’t known for his defensive expertise. That’s why it’s been so impressive to witness Stephon Castle’s defensive turnaround this season. He’s shutting down some of the best scorers in the league.
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Stephon Castle Has Become a Lockdown Defender
As pointed out by SpursMuse on a now-viral post on X, Castle has kept some elite scorers in shambles in the initial stretch of the season:
1) Luka Doncic shot 2-10.
2) Devin Booker shot 1-6.
3) Jordan Poole shot 2-7.
4) Amen Thompson shot 1-4.
5) Michael Porter Jr. shot 2-7.
6) Cam Thomas shot 1-4.
7) Anthony Davis shot 0-2
8) Cooper Flagg shot 0-3.
When guarded by Stephon Castle this season:
Luka Doncic shot 2-10.
Devin Booker shot 1-6.
Jordan Poole shot 2-7.
Amen Thompson shot 1-4.
Michael Porter Jr. shot 2-7.
Cam Thomas shot 1-4.
Anthony Davis shot 0-2.
Cooper Flagg shot 0-3.
THEY COULDN’T GET PAST THE MOAT. pic.twitter.com/ZrDYrmsoOx
— SpursMuse (@spurs_muse) November 9, 2025
Castle has made big strides on the defensive end since his rookie season. He had a -1.7 box-plus-minus and a 119 defensive rating in his first year in the league, and he’s up to a 0.3 defensive box-plus-minus and a 110 defensive rating this season.
The Spurs are currently holding their opposition to 110.7 points per game, the fourth-lowest total in the league. They also rank fifth in defensive rating (111.1).
And while a lot of that has to do with Victor Wembanyama’s unmatched rim protection, Castle is also holding down the fort in the perimeter.
Mitch Johnson Wants Castle to Guard Other Stars
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson is challenging Castle to embrace the responsibility of guarding some of the best in the game. He’s not going to hide him on defense:
“He’s going to guard a ton of different premiere players on the other team,” Johnson said after the 118-116 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, per Sports Illustrated. “He has an opportunity to affect the game as much as anybody.”
Castle has approached that challenge with aggressiveness and pride. And so far, it’s pretty clear that he’s delivered:
“I take every game as a challenge,” Castle said, “no matter who I’m matched up against. The defensive end is a big part of my game.”
The Spurs are 7-2 for the season, with Castle and Wembanyama leading the way. They just got starting point guard De’Aaron Fox back, and while star rookie Dylan Harper will miss several weeks with a calf injury, they clearly have more than enough to get by.
Castle’s numbers are better from his rookie season across the board. And if he continues to make strides on the defensive end of the floor, the Spurs might be ahead of schedule in their way back to the top.
