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Spurs Rookie's Dunk Leads to Uncalled Hair-Pull Foul

5/22/2026

42 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Castle Dunk

During Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday night, Spurs rookie Stephon Castle dunked over Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein.
The dunk occurred in the second quarter of the game.
After the dunk, Hartenstein grabbed Castle by the hair and pulled him to the floor.
Officials did not call a foul on the hair-pulling, prompting an online frenzy among fans.

Summary

Castle Wins ROY

Stephon Castle earned the 2025–26 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
He posted 16.7 points, 7.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game in the regular season.
Entering Game 2 of the playoffs, Castle averaged 19.7 points and 41% from three.
He logged a career-high 49 minutes in Game 1 with 17 points, 11 assists and six rebounds.
He was a finalist in the 2024-25 Slam Dunk Contest as a rookie.

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Castle Dunk

During Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday night, Spurs rookie Stephon Castle dunked over Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein.
The dunk occurred in the second quarter of the game.
After the dunk, Hartenstein grabbed Castle by the hair and pulled him to the floor.
Officials did not call a foul on the hair-pulling, prompting an online frenzy among fans.

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