Bueckers and Castle Make History as Rookie Stars from UConn

Dallas, TX – Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings and Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs have made basketball history by becoming the first duo from the same college to win the NBA and WNBA Rookie of the Year awards in the same season. The two athletes, who starred at the University of Connecticut (UConn), reached this milestone during a remarkable year.

Castle, a one-and-done prospect, won a national championship in his only season at UConn, while Bueckers spent five years at the university. She claimed a championship as a senior and was awarded national player of the year during her freshman year.

The Spurs are set to begin their season this Wednesday night against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Just the night before, Castle received a surprise Rookie of the Year photoshoot alongside Bueckers, highlighting their unique connection.

“I had no idea Bueckers was here,” Castle said during the shoot. The two became friends while playing together at UConn and have continued to support each other since.

“He’s alright,” Bueckers said in the video shared by the Spurs. “He’s a pretty chill dude. We were at UConn for a year together, got to become close… just to watch each other succeed is pretty cool.”

Bueckers had an impressive rookie season, averaging 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game. She was named an All-Star and made the All-WNBA Second Team, despite the Wings finishing with a league-low record of 10-34.

Castle also had a solid rookie year, averaging 14.7 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. He is expected to take on a bigger role this season with De'Aaron Fox sidelined due to a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Wings are in search of a new head coach after firing Chris Koclanes just one season into his tenure. Potential candidates include former New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello, who recently accepted the coaching position with the Toronto Tempo, as confirmed by league insider Ben Pickman.

Brondello was recognized as a premier coach, having won titles with both the Liberty and the Phoenix Mercury. Losing Brondello is a setback for the Wings, who are now exploring other candidates like Noelle Quinn, Nicki Collen, and Jose Fernandez to lead the team into the future.

As the Wings move forward, they aim to find a coach who can effectively support Bueckers and the developing young core of players.