Stephon Castle is starting to look like the real deal for the San Antonio Spurs, and his name is officially entering the Rookie of the Year conversation. While Jared McCain remains the favorite (-165), Castle’s recent surge has his odds improving to +600, and it’s easy to see why.

After 19 games with the Spurs, Stephon Castle has emerged as one of the top rookies and is among the leaders in several statistical categories.

Many have already crowned Jared McCain the new NBA Rookie of the Year, and it's not a bad bet. McCain is a rock-solid scorer, who down the line could become an

Early in his rookie season, San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle has proved his worth to LeBron James as part of the NBA's next wave

Castle learned the slow step after tutelage from Mike Noyes, the Spurs assistant who is the team’s player development coach. Noyes, like Castle, was a former UConn guard and joined the Spurs in July after spending six years with the Memphis Grizzlies, most recently as player development director.

Stephon Castle was drafted as a defensive stopper, and his recent matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder helped solidify his status as a high-end defender.