SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle finished Wednesday night with eight points in the team’s 126-116 win against the Dallas Mavericks and four missing car wheels after his teammates pulled a prank on him.
In an Instagram video posted by shooting guard Devin Vassell, Castle, 20, returned to his car only to find that all four of its wheels were removed.
According to the video, Castle’s teammates all shared a laugh at his expense. Even though he has had an impressive season so far, Castle is still a rookie to his teammates.
“He deserved it for sure,” Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox jokingly said during Wednesday night’s postgame press conference.
Spurs G De’Aaron Fox talks about the prank Spurs team played on rookie Stephon Castle (took wheels off his car during the game)
Fox talks about the things he had to do as a rookie, jokingly says Steph doesn’t do enough as a rookie, and “he deserved it.”@spurfectblog #PorVida pic.twitter.com/d3jYmL8fRN
— Carolina Teague (@CTtheMicSlayer)
“I was a great rookie,” Fox teased, “Steph(on) doesn’t do anything. He doesn’t do any rookie duties, which is crazy to me.”
“That was hilarious. (Stephon) Castle was a little shocked. Loss for words but, you know, it happens. It didn’t happen to me,” forward Jeremy Sochan said after the game.
Sochan said he believes center Sandro Mamukelashvili may have been the brains behind the prank.
“I don’t know how he (Mamukelashvili) did it,” Sochan said. “I remember, before the game, we were shooting. And he was like, ‘Look, behind the bench, those guys are going to take Steph(on)’s wheels.’ I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?’ He’s like, ‘Just wait.’ And then it happens.”
Jeremy Sochan admitted that he was there to watch Stephon Castle’s reaction to seeing his car up on cinder blocks with the wheels gone after his teammates played a prank on him. Jeremy says Sandro Mamukelashvili might be the mastermind behind the playful rookie initiation.… pic.twitter.com/s3fGjSXqtC
— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter)
Jokes aside, Castle has already made a strong impression around the NBA. The former UConn star was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month in January in addition to winning Rising Stars MVP and finishing second in the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest during NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.
Castle, who currently leads all rookies in points per game (13.4), is also considered a favorite to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award.
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