With plenty of room still to grow, freshman Rafael Castro is showing signs early at PC
The 6'10 freshman has impressed this summer: “He’s just one of those guys that always finds his way into rebounds and into blocked shots and into baskets.”
Rafael Castro is an anomaly in some ways.
How else can you describe an athletic 6’9 hooper who grew up within fifty miles of New York City, but remained relatively under the radar for much of his high school career?
How many high major pledges can claim to be the first prospect ever from their high school to sign with a D1 school?
How many of them would turn down the exposure that comes from New Jersey’s powerful private schools and take their chances at this high school?
Castro didn’t join a dominant AAU program until the spring of 2020 (the end of his junior year), but even that path proved unique, as so many exposure events were cancelled due to the pandemic.
Castro could only fly under the radar for so long, however, and the early returns from Providence this summer sound encouraging.
In an interview earlier this week with Friar Basketball, Providence’s Associate Director of Player Development Bob Walsh explained, “He’s had a great summer, really opened a lot of our eyes this summer not only with his natural ability — he’s 6’9, long, bouncy — but with his production.”
Castro comes to Providence in somewhat of a lower stress role in terms of expected on-court production in year one. PC’s 4/5 rotation features four players who are either postgraduate players or entering their fourth year of Division 1 basketball.
Still, expectations are high over the long term.
Those expectations rose in the spring of 2020 after Castro joined a terrific AAU program in Team Rio (coached by former Rutgers head man Mike Rice).
He impressed with not only his athleticism, but his feel, and by June the offers started pouring in.
One of those offers came from Providence, who joined the likes of Miami, Dayton, Seton Hall, and Florida in offering him a scholarship.
Castro was featured in Rivals’ “Hello My Names Is…” series at the time, with noted high school scout Corey Evans writing, “Castro is a 6-foot-9, 190-pound power forward that brings great length, quickness and ultimately, a bevy of versatility to the floor thanks to his size, ranginess and athleticism.”
The article continued, “Right from the start, the length that Castro possesses stands out. However, he is not just a lanky big man that can block a shot every now and again, but rather an uberly-versatile forward that is tremendously coordinated in which he exchanges ends of the floor like someone six inches shorter, has great lateral abilities in moving side to side, and quick feet in getting to balls before others around the basket… Castro would have blown up this spring if the two evaluation periods would have remained intact. I still believe that more programs are coming for the super intriguing forward and that he is worthy of high-major attention which is why his interest list is so diverse, littered with a bevy of quality mid-majors and also power conference suitors.”
Castro morphed from relative unknown to a top 130ish prospect in the country. His college decision ultimately came down to Providence, Miami, and Dayton, with the Friars winning out last November.
He is officially listed at 6’10, 215 pounds on Providence’s roster. While the physicality of high major basketball figures to be an adjustment, he is flashing in practice. “He’s just one of those guys that always finds his way into rebounds and into blocked shots and into baskets,” Walsh said of Castro’s play to date.
“Whether it’s put-backs — he can face up a little bit or go one or two dribbles straight line drive — [he] runs the floor and gets an easy basket, and he blocks shots.
He provides something that is really, really valuable to elite college defenses and something that we’ll certainly be able to use — somebody who can protect the rim.”
The adjustment for freshman big men to college basketball has forever been a challenge, but with extra years of eligibility being granted this year, many slender 18-year-olds are suddenly playing against bigs four or five years older than them. That adjustment has been eye-opening for Castro, but PC’s staff signed him with an eye toward his long term potential.
“He was an under-the-radar, long, athletic potential guy,” Walsh said of Castro’s recruitment to Providence. “Quite honestly, I think we probably saw him as a long-term development guy and he did open some eyes with how productive he was this summer for us when we were working out. Now, again, with the experience we have in the frontcourt it will be hard.”
Castro’s body will evolve at Providence, and when that physicality is paired with the natural ability that the staff is intrigued by, they could potentially have their hands on a very promising prospect.
Even in the short term, Castro has the type of length and quick leaping ability that could make him a factor in the meantime.
“Coach White has his grip into him four days a week, doing extra work with him. Like most of our guys his body will change for the better. He can make up for some of that, though, with just his length and how bouncy he is,” Walsh explained.
“He’s one of those guys who might get dislodged a little bit and you might be able to bully him close to the rim, then when you go up to shoot it, he’s going to get off his feet quickly and get a piece of it or change it.”
When Castro committed to Providence last fall after staying at Dover High School, he did so after taking an unconventional path — a path that caught the attention of the local press.
“I just followed my gut,” Castro told NJ.com about staying at Dover. “Just believing in myself because I feel like if I went to a private school, it’d almost be like a hand out because anyone can go D1 from a private school. The fact that no one has done it from Dover (is huge). I just believed in myself and thought that I could do it.”
His high school coach explained that when he sprouted to 6’6, Castro started getting daily calls from private schools in New Jersey about transferring. That’s what happens when you average 19.7 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 5.2 blocks per game as a sophomore.
“Coach, I’m not going anywhere,” Castro explained to his coach about a transfer at the time. “I like it here, this is my home town, this is my school, this is where my family went, this is where my family goes, where my friends are. I like playing for you. I’m not going to go anywhere.”
Now standing at 6’9-6’10 with considerable upside, Castro has landed at Providence. There is a chance that he could develop into a true rim protector at PC. “It changes your defensive complexion,” Walsh said of having a springy shot blocker. “Hopefully, Slim can provide that for us for years.”
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picture from NJ.com