[NBA] Stephon Castle, Jalen Johnson named NBA Players of the Week

Source: https://www.nba.com/news/nba-players-week-stephon-castle-jalen-johnson

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle and Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson have been named the NBA Players of the Week for Week 16 of the 2025-26 season.

Stephon Castle (SAS): 24.0 PPG; 7.3 RPG; 7.3 APG; 3-0 team record (1st career POTW)

Jalen Johnson (ATL): 27.3 PPG; 12.0 RPG; 11.3 APG; 2-1 team record (2nd career POTW)

flowerboyinfinity | Pacers

55 | 6 hours ago

The future is here

LarryTheYoutuber

27 | 6 hours ago

I miss the haliban

Less-Tax5637 | Knicks

7 | 5 hours ago

He’s got 72 virgins in Williams Creek rn

mifadhil | Pacers

1 | 3 hours ago

72 snow bunnies was right there cmon

Stratys | Spurs

49 | 6 hours ago

King of the Castle, King of the Castle! 👑

DoctorMcThicc | Hawks

35 | 6 hours ago

And to think we could’ve had both 😭

bigpapi-did-steroids | Spurs

34 | 6 hours ago

I for one am happy by your front office’s decision. Thanks!

GGTae | Spurs

25 | 6 hours ago

Risacher will be perfect at his role, right now he has a bad coach incapable of giving him rhythm and the team isn’t done yet, but I have very high confidence he will bloom into one of the best players at his position (all NBA tier)

AeroBlaze777

9 | 6 hours ago

I hope so too. I’m also kinda convinced Hawks are not really planning to keep Quinn Snyder in the long run.

No_Tr4geD1es | Hawks

9 | 5 hours ago

He was subbing in Corey Kispert over Zac for defensive possessions the other night and has routinely been closing out games with CJ. If we keep losing games off the back of his nonsensical bullshit lineups, he might be gone after this season.

Burner_420_burner_69 | Hawks

5 | 4 hours ago

He has so many indefensible fire-worthy moments like that. Not only is Zacch a way better defender, but he was having a way better game. Quin has some weird grudges.

fab_frog_disco

3 | 4 hours ago

I love Zacch. But I’m not sure what he’s shown for you to feel “ high confidence” of him reaching all NBA level. Him becoming an elite role player sure. Him becoming an All-Star. I could see it too. But having high confidence that he’s going to be one of the 15 best players in the league based off of his current strengths, weaknesses, and limitations is a massive reach in my Opinion and again, I say that as someone who is a big fan of his during the draft process and has defended him when people have clowned on him with his early struggles

Startjjasap | Hawks

1 | 4 hours ago

Has any wing this bad at ball handling ever been an all star? Obviously you can improve as we’ve seen with Jalen Johnson, but the fact that he hasn’t shown any improvement (maybe even regression) so far is worrisome

fab_frog_disco

2 | 4 hours ago

I’d have to really think on that. I guess Kyle korver? Dude couldn’t really handle the ball at all. Of course his All-Star placement was controversial at the time

Maybe Klay Thompson? Though I don’t think he’s necessarily a bad ball handler. Just a more simplistic one.

But both of those were pretty crazy outlier situations, one with the “ the whole team deserves a collective All-Star nod” uniqueness of that Hawks team, and then the other is literally the second best shooter of all time

I think if people collectively just forget he was drafted number one, eventually Consensus will be good on Zacch as a solid role player but being more than that is going to take a LOT of improvement in certain areas that he hasn’t shown much natural skill in.

Startjjasap | Hawks

1 | 4 hours ago

There have been quarters, especially 2nd half of last year, where he looks like Korver or Klay, so that might be the route. Maybe if he can set his feet and have more consistent form he can get there, but that’s another area where he has not improved one bit from last year

Throwaway158531

1 | 5 hours ago

I’m sorry but there is no chance he will be close to all nba.

Kertia

1 | 4 hours ago

He’s literally going to be french Jabari Smith Jr.

djan242

3 | 6 hours ago

Castle-Daniels-Johnson would be a very interesting group to see

ASadChongyunMain | Spurs

2 | an hour ago

Touché. We could also have Jalen Johnson instead of… (checks notes) Josh Primo.

Kertia

32 | 6 hours ago

Worry not Atlanta fans. Quin Snyder would’ve fucked up with Castle too.

RealPrinceJay | 76ers

28 | 5 hours ago

Castle being a 20/6/8 guy per-75 with elite defense on arguably the second best team in the league is a bigger accomplishment for a 21y/o learning-to-be PG than I think he’s gotten credit for on the year as a whole.

He has some clear flaws - most notably his 3PT shot and his turnovers - but what he’s bringing to the table is very impressive. He’s already one of the best slashers in the entire league getting to the rim at will, finishing very well, and drawing fouls like he’s Jimmy Butler. His midrange game is legit bordering on elite, he’s turnover prone but showing very impressive vision, and his defense really is outstanding.

Whataretheseusernam

18 | 6 hours ago

I love to complain about Jalen’s defensive lapses but the fact that he’s regularly putting up stat lines like this is crazy.

Even just watching him he’s already so much better offensively than I thought he could be.

amidon1130 | Hawks

7 | 6 hours ago

It all just looks so effortless, he’s not dominating the ball he just gets to his spots and ruthlessly eviscerates opposing defenses.

Whataretheseusernam

2 | 5 hours ago

Yep he consistently makes the right play and has figured out how to create good looks consistently in the half court which was my doubt with him

Startjjasap | Hawks

1 | 4 hours ago

Yes, so much better in that area. I think the biggest factor is improved ball handling, and just much more careful with the ball inside the arc.

PoonGo0n | Spurs

3 | 6 hours ago

Damn Jalen

dizzymidget44

1 | 5 hours ago

The future is now

Bonesawisready5 | Spurs

1 | 3 hours ago

El Rey!

Cold_Library_9254

-8 | 6 hours ago

Realest award give to castle I’m ngl. I love that MLK looking ass dude haha

banjocoyote | Spurs [SAS] Manu Ginóbili

12 | 6 hours ago

Literally go outside

siphillis | Spurs

1 | 6 hours ago

No, keep them tucked away

Cold_Library_9254

-7 | 6 hours ago

Is everything ok? What did I say wrong?

amidon1130 | Hawks

3 | 4 hours ago

I just don’t understand why you think he looks like MLK

Cold_Library_9254

1 | 4 hours ago

I thinks it’s the lips for me, if you put an mlk mustache on him. It sorta looks like him…. In hindsight, it does look like a reach