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• Updated Jun 10, 2026 at 8:53pm

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HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 17: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs works against Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of a preseason game at Toyota Center on October 17, 2024 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

The incredible postseason run of Stephon Castle for the San Antonio Spurs led to a lot of criticism towards the Houston Rockets for passing on him in the 2024 NBA Draft. A generally weak draft saw Castle going fourth to the Spurs, but Houston passed on him in favor of selecting Reed Sheppard with the third pick. Castle looks significantly better than Sheppard and is already the second-best player on a team in the NBA Finals.

However, it appears that the Rockets actually wanted Castle. The Athletic reported that Castle’s camp implied they didn’t want to play for Houston:

“Per league sources, Rockets coach and former Spurs assistant Ime Udoka was a huge fan of Castle’s (which Castle said he was well aware of). But with veteran Fred VanVleet manning the point guard position and young Jalen Green at the two-guard spot, Castle and his camp sent the kinds of signals Houston’s way that eventually led to him landing in San Antonio. Just as he’d hoped.”

Castle didn’t want to get drafted to a situation where the team already had their starting guards locked up. Both Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green filled the roles that Castle could have had, and he preferred to join San Antonio. Things worked out perfectly for Castle since he’s become a core part of the future at just 21 years old.

Rockets’ Failure This Season Made This A Topic

Houston’s biggest problem this season was lacking a point guard all year due to Fred VanVleet getting months before opening night. Last summer’s trade acquiring Kevin Durant led to the Rockets losing Green as the other major guard on the roster.

The decision to pass on Castle looks terrible now since he’d be the perfect solution to their current problems. Next season will see VanVleet returning, and Sheppard deserves more time to develop his talent.

Houston must figure out their own issues of the talented roster struggling to get on the same page to truly contend for an NBA Championship. Names like Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith already give them a promising long-term young core. Castle may have been a huge help, but many other teams have worse situations.

Other Teams Deserve More Criticism For Mistake

Castle going fourth overall in his draft class means that two other teams passed on him before San Antonio selected the future All-Star. The Atlanta Hawks made the worst pick through today’s perspective by taking Zaccharie Risacher with the first overall pick.

Risacher struggled and got benched in the Hawks’ first round playoff series for not being good enough to play minutes in the most important games. Castle joining Jalen Johnson could have given them a superstar duo for many years.

The Washington Wizards took big man Alex Sarr with the second pick. Sarr has also looked less impactful than Castle and a few other players selected after him. Houston at least has seen more out of Sheppard during a season where he was unfairly asked to play point guard minutes, despite being a shooting guard who doesn’t facilitate naturally.