The 2024 NBA draft saw two players from the UConn Huskies getting drafted in the top 10. Donovan Clingan was drafted seventh overall by the Portland Trail Blazers and Stephon Castle was picked up by the San Antonio Spurs with the fourth pick. Ecstatic to see two of his players going in the top 10, Huskies head coach Dan Hurley discussed Castle pairing up with Victor Wembanyama.
Stephon Castle being picked up by the San Antonio Spurs is being labeled as the perfect fit. Even UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley felt the same way as he spoke to Taylor Rooks after the draft.
“He’s in the right organization. They coach their players hard and he (Stephon Castle) wants to be coached hard…He’s got great vision, he’s got a great handle, physically strong so he’s gonna be in the paint all the time…I think he fits perfectly into this positionless basketball where you can put him on the ball a lot.”
"What they did in their short time at UConn is legendary and now they're gonna go crush it in the NBA." 🙌@TaylorRooks with UConn HC Dan Hurley to discuss how special it was to see his Huskies get drafted pic.twitter.com/obe9Gn6trs
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 27, 2024
Stephon Castle was a part of the championship-winning squad this year. But his head coach had so much more to say about the young guard. Taylor Rooks mentioned Castle always wanted to be a point guard, which prompted Dan Hurley to highlight how the NBA is more positionless basketball these days.
Stephon Castle, who has the vision, ball handling, and strength to overpower other guards, will fit perfectly within the Spurs organization. He even mentioned how Castle likes to be coached hard and knowing how Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is, no wonder Hurley described it as a perfect fit.
Moreover, given how Victor Wembanyama has developed this past year, having another smaller player who can back up most positions is going to be a big plus for the San Antonio Spurs who are finally coming out of rebuilding mode.
Apart from Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan was another UConn Husky who got drafted in the Lottery. Picked up by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 7th overall pick, Donovan Clingan is a 7’1 center who will probably play as a backup to DeAndre Ayton to start his rookie season.
Ayton, who was the first overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Phoenix Suns was traded to the Blazers this past year. While Ayton has been getting another chance to prove his mettle, the Blazers do not seem to be leaving it to chance as they picked up another seven-foot center in case their experiment with the former number-one pick does not work out.
After a successful college season, will the Huskies have what it takes to prove their mettle in the NBA this season?
