Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper make Rising Stars history

The San Antonio Spurs are now the only team in the NBA to have multiple selections in each of the last three Rising Star Challenges. Stephen Castle and Dylan Harper to join Victor Vembanyama and Castle’s announcements last year, and Wemby and Jeremy Sochan a year earlier. It is the fifth time in franchise history that the Spurs have had multiple players selected to play in the Rising Stars Challenge in the same season.

The Spurs can actually lay claim to three rising stars this year because of David Jones Garcia. The Austin Spurs rookie, however, played in just 11 games with the big club.

Harper went second overall in last summer’s NBA draft, while Castle was the fourth pick in 2024.

Stephon Castle season recap

Castle is set to appear again in Rising Star after winning the Rising Stars MVP and, due to a revised format, advancing to the All-Star game last year in San Francisco, California. The 2024-25 Rookie of the Year played in and started 36 games this season, averaging career-best 16.9 points, 7.1 assists, 5 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 31 minutes.

This season, Castle earned a spot in Spurs history as the fastest player to reach 1,500 points and 500 assists (105 games). He also became one of only nine players in NBA history with 1,500 points, 400 rebounds, 400 assists and 100 three-pointers in the first 100 career games, joining Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, LaMelo Ball, Damon Stoudamire, Cade Cunningham, Cole Anthony, Rove Francis and Rove Francis.

Dylan Harper stands out as a rookie

Harper appeared in 35 gamesaveraged 10.2 points, 3.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 21.2 minutes. He is one of five rookies to post such averages and the only one to do so without a start. Harper is also among eight first-year players with 300+ points, 100+ rebounds and 100+ assists, while being the only player to do so in less than 800 minutes.

He ranks among the top 10 rookies in assists (5th), steals (6th) and goals scored (10th). Earlier this season, he became the youngest guard in NBA history to record a game with at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and zero turnovers in an Oct. 26 win against the Brooklyn Nets. He also became the first Spurs rookie to post a 20-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist performance while shooting 70% from the field.

Rising Star specifics for Castle and Harper

Harper, Castle and Jones Garcia are among a group of rookies and rookies who will be selected Jan. 27 from among three teams of NBA Rising Stars and a fourth that will consist of NBA G League players. Four teams will compete in the All-Star Weekend tournament on Friday, February 13 in Los Angeles, California’s Intuit Dome.

Castle, however, is hoping to follow the path Wembanyama took through All-Star Weekend in 2025. After being selected to play in his second straight Rising Stars affair, v The 7-foot-5 generational talent made his first All-Star game. While both Castle and Harper played roles the rise of the Spurs from a lottery team to one of the best in the NBACastle stood out in particular. He was often mentioned as a candidate for the best player in the league.