Rookie sensation Stephon Castle led Team C to a thrilling 25-14 victory Friday night in the NBA Rising Stars tournament, earning MVP honors and a shot at playing against some of basketball’s biggest legends this Sunday.
Castle put up 11 points and dished out three assists, including one that set up the game-winning three-pointer by Utah’s Keyonte George.
“To be a part of the game-winning bucket in both games, it means a lot,” Castle said with a smile.
The win wasn’t just any victory – it earned Castle and his teammates spots in Sunday’s All-Star Game, where they’ll face off against basketball royalty. They’ll be taking on Shaq’s OGs, featuring LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant.
“As a basketball player, it’s really all I can ask for,” Castle said. “Watching those guys growing up, to share my first All-Star Weekend with them and be on the same court – it’s a blessing.”
But Castle isn’t done yet. He’s about to do something pretty special.
He’ll become only the second player in NBA history to compete in events on all three nights of All-Star Weekend. The only other player to pull this off? Blake Griffin back in 2011 as a rookie with the Clippers.
When asked about his plans for Saturday’s dunk contest, Castle played it coy. “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.”
The night’s format was unique – teams had to reach specific target scores to win. In the early games, it was first to 40. In the final, first to 25.
Castle showed his clutch gene early, hitting the winning shot in Team C’s first game to knock out Team T (coached by Tim Hardaway Sr.) 40-34.
The victory wasn’t just about glory – there was some serious cash involved too. Each player on Team C walked away with a cool $35,000 for their efforts.
Sunday’s All-Star Game will follow a similar format, with four eight-player teams battling it out in a mini-tournament. Castle and his teammates won’t be alone in facing the legends – they’ll be joined by Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht, Phoenix’s Ryan Dunn, and Warriors big man Trayce Jackson-Davis.
The stage is set for what could be a career-defining weekend for the young star.
