The San Antonio Spurs don't have much playoff experience on their roster, but one young player is ready to step up.
The San Antonio Spurs will have to wait until Tuesday to see who they will take on in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers will face off in the play-in game, with the winner taking home the seventh seed and a first-round matchup in Texas.
The Spurs are 2-2 against Phoenix this season and 2-1 against Portland, but they aren't too worried about the matchup. Boasting Victor Wembanyama gives them a sizable advantage, and the added postseason experience of Harrison Barnes and De'Aaron Fox is expected to go a long way.
By and large, the Spurs have very little playoff experience, but one of their youngest players is ready to make a splash when the lights are brightest.
READ MORE: San Antonio Spurs' Playoff Matchups Revealed
Stephon Castle Brings Postseason Experience
Heading into March Madness last season, it was unclear who the Spurs had atop their draft board.
By the time the dust settled, UConn was the champion, and Stephon Castle was widely regarded as the Spurs' top target. Not only did he win the title, but he took home All-Tournament honors, as well.
San Antonio is hoping he can tap into his college postseason success and play a major role in leading the Spurs through their first postseason since 2019.
"If we were just flipping to playoff mode now, then we'd probably be in trouble," Castle said. "So, yeah, we've been kind of flipped our minds towards that. And, yeah, I mean, we expect to make a long run in it."
Along with Castle, Wembanyama has no NBA playoff experience, although he led his Metropolitans 92 squad to the French League Finals in 2024. The Spurs might not have much NBA experience, but they're well-versed in meaningful games.
"I feel like it's a lot more detailed," Castle said of postseason play. "Every game is a different game. Just understanding when it's somebody's night to keep feeding them. You know, I mean, nothing else matters, you know, in the playoffs other than, you know, winning that singular game on that night. So I'm just excited to see where, you know, our attention to detail will be at and how good we can make a push for it."
No matter who the Spurs face in the postseason, they will be heavy favorites.
