Serbian floor general Nikola Topic seems like a natural fit for the San Antonio Spurs. With either their No. 4 or No. 8 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Spurs could add a talented prospect at a position of need. However, the Spurs front office may be zeroing in on a different point guard.
Indeed, UConn playmaker Stephon Castle “has been most strongly connected to San Antonio,” per ESPN’s Jeremy Woo.
Spurs Setting Sights On Stephon Castle
“It has been difficult for NBA teams to schedule Castle on the workout circuit, so it remains to be seen exactly where that will land him on draft night,” Woo reports. “Teams on his trail will be closely monitoring whether he decides to open up his availability in the coming weeks. He has been most strongly connected to San Antonio, but… there will be suitors elsewhere in the top 10, with a potentially strong fit in the Utah Jazz.”
In 2023-24, Castle earned Big East Rookie of the Year and NCAA All-Tournament honors. Averaging 11.1 points, 2.9 assists, and 0.8 steals per game, he shot 47.2 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from 3. Thus, his outside jumper is a glaring weakness. Nonetheless, at 6-foot-7 and 210 pounds, has the tools to be one of the best defenders in the NBA.
A two-way playmaker, Castle’s an enticing option for a San Antonio team that wants a supersized starting lineup.
What About Nikola Topic?
Topic, long projected to be a top-five pick, was recently revealed to have a partially torn ACL. As a result, “it will not be surprising if he will require a redshirt season,” per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. However, the Spurs, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Portland Trail Blazers “are viewed by teams as potential landing spots depending on team doctors’ full assessments of his medicals, which have yet to be distributed.”
With that said, there’s still a chance that San Antonio drafts Topic.
Topic’s another jumbo point guard at 6-foot-6 and 201 pounds. Due to his size, ball-handling ability, and canter, he gets into the lane all but at will. He’s not stuck in quicksand when he’s moving on the court, but he has average athleticism for a player his size. That said, though his recent injury is a cause for concern, his production isn’t predicated on elite explosiveness.
Topic’s also a better facilitator than Castle, making him a better point guard prospect in a vacuum. To that point, Topic’s a traditional distributor, making advanced reads and difficult passes. Castle is a connective passer, utilizing simple but effective ball-movement.
