Colin Castleton — NBADraft’23

Second Round Steal / UDFA Gems

Hometown: Pembroke Pines, FL, USA / DOB 25.05 2000 / 6’11–233lbs / Florida Gators — SEC
STATLINE: 16.0pts, 7.7rbs, 2.8ast, 3.0blk / 50.2 FG%, 13.3 3P%, 72.9 FT% / 31.2Min in 26GP
ROLE — BANKABLE SKILL: Two-way Big man– Low Post Scorer & Rim Protector + Versatile Defender

OFFENSE

• Lean and long body type and profile: mix of sheer size, broad shoulders and strength. Ideal piece to build your offense around high-picks and hard screens. Strong legs to stand his ground. Efficient roller and play-finisher off cuts. Untapped potential as floor spacer and on the pick-and-pop, although he mostly goes for mid-range jumpers rather than the 3pt-ball: just 0.6 triples/game for the season.
• Bag of tricks as a crafty low-post self-creator (go-to-move with 3.4pts each night by InStat). Can post up on either block, but usually goes to his right hand. Makes 45% of his lefties in the paint, albeit at a lesser volume. Plays through contact: 4.8 FT attempts per game. Skilled on the ball, can face up, put it on the deck and operate in the mid-post. Scores 2.2pts/game in catch-and-drive situations.
• Exciting numbers, passing touch and playmaking upside in full view with almost 3asts per night. He can create shots for others in a variety of ways and scenarios: exploiting his scoring threat and gravity on the blocks, in handoffs and the short roll, catch-and-drive, but also as stationary ball mover and passer from the high-post to a smaller level. Needs to cut turnovers: 1.08 A:TO ratio.
• Wiry, mobile and light on the open court. Large steps and remarkable straight-line speed at 6’11, although doesn’t qualify as the usual rim-runner. Slight dip on the offensive boards this season but still excellent with 1.9rbs/game. Uses his anticipation, standing reach and pop off two feet to crash the glass, keep the play alive and hunt for second chances: 1.8pts per night, by InStat.

DEFENSE

• Legitimate value as defensive anchor and help defender with his mobility and 7’3 wingspan (Elite Camp). Mans the paint with ease and covers ground in slides. Shot-blocker by trade: 3.0blk per night. Spatial awareness and length to wall up matchups and to contest drives at the rim: allows just a 26.3% of them. Also an effective as stopper the down low, keeps his opponents at a 33.7% clip in post ups. Room for some more meat on the bone without losing speed.
• Intriguing as a Pick-and-Roll defender: looks ready-made for drop coverage, but his motor, footwork and a high degree of switchability will allow him to be effective in other schemes. Can definitely step out and hang around the perimeter against wing/forwards and smaller guards. Genuine sit-in-a-stance topped with long arms to shrink passing lanes rather than deflect the ball. Doesn’t leave his feet easily. Rim deterrence weapon.
• A force under his own board posting almost 6 rebounds per night thanks to his physicality and timing. High energy, feel and all-around activity. Not scared to put his body on the line. Finds his man and uses his whole frame in boxouts. Runs the floor hard in transition defense. Can chase smaller guards, and also anticipate and contest shots with his speed and length.

SWING SKILL: shooting threes and spacing the floor

D MATCHUP: 5 spot, some 4. Swichability 1–3

SUMMARY

As a Michigan fan it’s been a pleasure to follow Colin Castleton’s evolution over the seasons and to realize why John Beilein brought him to Ann Arbor as Moritz Wagner’s substitute. It didn’t work out for the Zonian forward under Juwan Howard, but after three years and multiple wins and accolades in the Southeastern Conference, his transfer to Florida University has probed to be a major coup for the Gators and Castleton himself. The lanky teenager from Father Lopez Catholic HS has turned into a two-way uber-productive big man who can do a whole lot of stuff to impact the game on both ends, and it seems obvious by now some NBA front offices are looking to pick him in the 2nd Round.

You can picture Castleton gaining a roster spot because of his raw size, measurements and defensive versatility, particularly around the rim and in ball-screens. He doesn’t need a 40” vertical or mid-blowing athleticism to make his presence felt, and he won’t ask for a ton of shots right away either. We can trust Castleton to keep things simple early on in order to stay on the floor. Screen and roll, finish drop-offs and dishes, hold the glass and work hard on D. He will need time to polish some offensive bits (slowing down the play, turnovers) and learn automatisms on his own end. Afterwards, there is enough in his skill set to grow off-the-bench on the back of his feel for the game, high-IQ and physical traits.

However, there are still a couple question marks about Castleton that deserve our attention here. The first one is related to his shooting from behind the arc, or more specifically the lack of it. There are quite a few examples of big men who were non-shooters at college and later reached a respectable status as floor spacers in the NBA (Brooke Lopez, LaMarcus Aldridge…) but Castleton’s low volume is surprising in this modern era, and might have hampered his draft projection. In fact he’s only scored twice over his five-year career, both this season in a 2/15 sequence. Contrary to what such number of attempts suggest, Castleton’s one-motion stroke passes the eye-test. Have a look at his promising catch-and-shot drill with a well-timed dip around the waist for better rhythm via @NoCeilingsNBA. In addition, his 73.0% career-clip from the charity stripe looks like a positive indicator that the Zonian is on the right track to be a decent shooter, which would open the lane even more for his handle and playmaking talents. Bet against him at your own peril.

The second argument is of course related to his age. Already 23, Castleton’s goes against the tendency of drafting youth and raw potential. But on the other hand, age just shouldn’t matter that much for a 2nd rounder, right?. You could argue time has helped Castleton to mature his craft and leadership, and that he also understands what’s expected of him and can translate a good chunk of his strengths straight away on an NBA floor. That surely will play on his favour on Draft night.

Are you not intrigued yet? To all of the above you can add Castleton’s ‘under-the-radar’ path to Thursday night: a broken hand injury in February, the fact that he wasn’t invited to the NBA Combine despite a rock-solid show in the G League Elite Camp, and missing some NCAA Tournament appearances in the past (just one with real playing-time in 2021)… We’ll find the definition of a low-risk / high-value 2nd Rounder (or maybe UDFA*) that becomes a proper steal and gives you his all to win games while carves himself a name in the League. Or simply, a pro-baller in the making. You just wait for it.