Spurs rookie Stephon Castle falls victim to a hilarious veteran prank after skipping rookie duties.

Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle may be having a stellar debut season, but that hasn’t exempted him from the classic rookie hazing that every first-year player must endure.

Castle became the latest victim of an NBA rookie prank when he discovered that the wheels of his Toyota Supra had been removed while he was inside the Frost Bank Center for the Spurs’ 126-116 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

His veteran teammates, including De’Aaron Fox and Jeremy Sochan, were quick to share in the laughter as the rookie looked on in shock.

Fox, who joined the Spurs in a midseason trade, has been openly teasing Castle about avoiding his rookie responsibilities. Whether it’s carrying bags, grabbing post-game food, or handling shootaround duties, these small tasks are a long-standing NBA tradition.

According to Fox, Castle has been avoiding these obligations, and this prank may have been a playful reminder from the team that no rookie gets a free pass.

“Steph does absolutely nothing…He deserved it, for sure. Something needed to happen. I’m like, does he bring anything to the plane? Does he bring any food, snacks? The least he could do is pass the shoes out at shootaround.” 

Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, just a year older than Castle, found the entire situation hilarious. Sandro Mamukelashvili was singled out as the possible mastermind behind the prank, with Sochan admitting that Sandro had been dropping hints about it before the game even started.

“I think Sandro was the main culprit for that, but I don’t know how he did it. I remember before the game we were shooting, and he was like, ‘Look. Behind the bench. Those guys are going to take Steph’s wheels.’ And then it happened.”

Castle, understandably, was not thrilled to find his brand-new car on bricks, but he took it in stride. While he may have clenched his fists in frustration at first, he quickly realized it was all in good fun.

It’s a well-known tradition in the NBA for rookies to get pranked by their teammates, whether it’s popcorn in the car, ridiculous costumes, or forced karaoke performances. However, having all four wheels removed is definitely a next-level prank that took extra effort from his teammates.

Despite being at the center of this viral prank, Castle has been a key contributor for the Spurs. He is currently averaging 13.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 42.5% from the field and 28.3% from three-point range.

His solid performances have made him a strong contender for Rookie of the Year, proving that his focus remains on basketball, even with all the locker-room antics.

Fox and the other Spurs veterans have made it clear that this was all done in good fun, but it’s safe to say Castle might think twice before skipping out on his rookie duties moving forward.

After all, when you’re part of an NBA team, respect is earned—and sometimes, it comes with the price of missing car wheels.