Castillo Named to Naismith Player of the Year Preseason Watch List - Kansas State University Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State men's basketball signee David Castillo (Bartlesville, Okla./Sunrise Christian Academy [Kan.]) was named to the preseason Watch List on Friday (Nov. 17) for the 2024 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Boy's High School Player of the Year Award, which is presented by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
 
Castillo was among 52 players named to the Watch List, which includes six other Big 12 signees.
 
A native of Bartlesville, Okla., Castillo enters his senior season at Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kan., as a 4-star and consensus top-50 prospect by three of the four major recruiting services. As a junior in 2022-23, he averaged 22.3 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for Bartlesville High School en route to earning Tulsa World All-State honors as well as being a finalist for the World's Player of the Year. He was also named to the Watch List for the USA Today HSSA Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
 
Castillo set the school record with 1,594 points in his 67-game career at Bartlesville, along with 378 rebounds, 248 assists and 79 steals, while playing for former Wildcat Clent Stewart.
 
Castillo also has extensive experience playing internationally, winning gold medals with USA Basketball at the 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup. He led the U16 National Team to a 6-0 record and gold at the 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Xalpala, Mexico. He finished with 14 points and 3 assists in the 90-75 win over Argentina in the gold medal game. He helped the Team USA to another perfect 7-0 record at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup in Malaga, Spain, where he averaged 10.7 points, 2.7 assists and 1.9 assists. He scored 12 points against Lithuania in the semifinals as well as against host Spain in the gold medal game.
 
Castillo was also invited to the 2023 Team USA Junior National Team minicamp in April but could not play due to a foot injury.
 
Castillo and Sunrise Christian open the 2023-24 season at the 5 for the Fight in Pleasant Grove, Utah, where they will play Alta High School on Monday (Nov. 20) and AZ Compass on Wednesday (Nov. 22).
 
Castillo's future team opens play against Providence (3-0) in the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship on Friday night (Nov. 17) at 5 p.m., CT. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
 
 
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