Former UConn Huskies star guard Stephon Castle was firmly in the Rookie of the Year race entering Wednesday. However, he made a statement with the San Antonio

When Sochan returned to the starting lineup in mid-December, bumping Castle back to the bench, the rookie’s numbers dropped. Much of that can be traced to a change in opportunity. Castle went from playing 30.5 minutes per game as a starter to 18.9 per game as a reserve.

A second-half slippage saw the San Antonio Spurs drop their first of two straight games against the Memphis Grizzlies at home. Amid the disappointment, as acting coach Mitch Johnson put it, Stephon Castle served as a small silver lining.