Rafael Castro has come a long way from Dover High School. But the recent George Washington University graduate has still got so much potential.
Castro signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks shortly after the NBA Draft wrapped up on June 24. He had been at the green room at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on the second day of the event.
Castro led GW in scoring (15.3), rebounding (9.1), blocks (1.7) and steals (1.8) in his final season, and was a finalist for the Lefty Driesell National Defensive Player of the Year award. Despite missing six games due to injury, Castro was one of three players in the country with at least 45 assists, steals and blocks.
Castro was invited to the NBA G League Showcase in early May, then was one of five prospects added to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. According to HoopsHype, he worked out with 10 teams, though not the Bucks.
From Dover, New Jersey to the NBA
Nicknamed “Slim” before he joined a Dover recreational basketball league in fourth grade, Castro was 6-foot-3 as a Dover freshman guard. He’s now listed at 6-11, but still tries to mix ball handling and shooting range into his game.
A 1,000-point scorer in high school, Castro was believed to be the first Dover basketball player to sign a NCAA National Letter of Intent when he chose Providence in Nov. 2020 – after making only virtual visits due to the COVID pandemic. He appeared in 60 games over two seasons, but averaged just 2.5 points, 2.3 boards and 8.1 minutes.
Castro transferred to George Washington after his redshirt sophomore season, and made an immediate impact. He broke the program field-goal percentage record (64.4%), and is in the all-time top 20 in blocks, steals, rebounds and points per game.
Castro ranked third in NCAA Division I in field-goal percentage as a junior (66%), and led the Atlantic 10 in rebounding (8.9) and double‑doubles (13).
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Rafael Castro of Dover signs two-way NBA contract with Milwaukee
