Spurs’ Stephon Castle buys stake in Connecticut soccer teams

With a nearly 40-inch vertical leap, San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle says he would be a goalie if he played the game of soccer. What isn’t a game is that the 21-year-old is a part-owner of two expansion soccer franchises.

The former University of Connecticut star is part of the expanded ownership in the Connecticut Sports Group (CSG), which owns two expansion pro soccer clubs in CT United FC and a future Connecticut women’s pro soccer club.

CT United FC is set to debut next year in MLS Next Pro, Major League Soccer’s development league. In 2028, CSG’s future pro women’s soccer team is slated to join the WPSL Pro, a new Division II league.

NBA players such as LeBron James (Liverpool FC), Kevin Durant (PSG, Philadelphia Union), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Nashville SC), James Harden (Houston Dynamo/Dash) and Larry Nance, Jr. (Leeds United) have also invested in soccer clubs.

“It was the right choice just to start at my age and to also give back to the state of Connecticut for what they’ve done for me,” Castle told Andscape in a phone interview Thursday. “I just wanted to put my name out there as well and just have it build up as my career goes on. Just to have this on the back end is another great idea.”

Castle was a Manchester City fan as a child and enjoys watching the big soccer matches globally. He starred as a freshman for UConn’s men’s basketball team that won the 2024 NCAA Division I national championship. The Covington, Georgia, native became familiar with Connecticut’s “incredible talent and passion for sport” during his lone season with the Huskies.

Castle said CSG first reached out to his agent, Joe Smith, in 2024, hoping to involve the basketball player in their ownership group.

“I just wanted to take this path early. My people brought it to me, and I thought it was a great idea,” Castle said. “I love the state of Connecticut for obvious reasons, and I thought it would be a great idea.”

André Swanston is also an owner of CT United FC and is an African American.

“Having an NBA star like Stephon involved is huge on multiple levels. On the surface, yes, it brings national attention to CT United FC and our push toward MLS,” Swanston said. “He helps shine a spotlight not just on the pro team, but on everything we’re building around it – the academy, the housing, the community programming, the facilities, and the pathways we’re trying to create for kids who might not otherwise get a shot.

“But for me, the real impact is symbolic. When a young kid in Bridgeport, Hartford or New Haven sees Stephon connected to CT United, they see someone who they can relate to made it to the top of his sport, and then chose to reinvest and uplift future generations. That’s powerful.”

While Castle will now spend time on the pitch as an owner, he is best known for his play on the hardwood for the Spurs.

The 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year is averaging career-highs of 18.1 points, 7.3 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals for the Spurs in 15 games. Castle, who is 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, had 30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to lead the visiting Spurs to a 132-119 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.

On Saturday, San Antonio will face the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas. Castle acknowledged that his Spurs have talked collectively about the opportunity to each pocket more than $500,000 by winning the NBA Cup championship game on Tuesday in Las Vegas. But the focus is “game by game right now.”

“It means a lot and it shows our seriousness as well,” Castle said about advancing to the NBA Cups semifinals. “Just being able to play in big-time games, execute our game plan, and ultimately come out with a win. It’s showing our maturity and showing that we really have a lot of confidence this [season]. It’s a big deal to us. We want to win every game. But the high-stakes games mean a little more to us. …

“[The Thunder] are the champs. It’s going to be tough. They have a lot of great perimeter players. We are going to try to slow them down. I don’t think it’s anything we’re not ready for.”

Castle said he plans to get a CT United FC soccer jersey from his club for 7-foot-4 Spurs star center Victor Wembanyama. Castle also said he hopes Wembanyama will be back in the lineup wearing a Spurs jersey Saturday. The 2025 NBA All-Star is nearing a return from a calf strain after missing the past 12 games.

Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said Wembanyama “very much” could play Saturday against the Thunder after successful intense workouts. The Frenchman is averaging 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 3.6 blocks this season. Interestingly, Wembanyama and Thunder 7-1 center Chet Holmgren have a rivalry dating back to their teens, when they played against each other in international competition.

“It would mean a lot for him to be back,” Castle said. “We haven’t played a game yet with our full team healthy. So, just getting the first look at that on the biggest stage, it would be the perfect time for his return.”

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