Florida Basketball: Colin Castleton makes his NBA Summer League debut

When former Florida basketball star Colin Castleton went undrafted last month in the NBA Draft, it was a little bit surprising considering his production with the Gators, but not a massive shock considering centers as a whole were passed over in the draft.

And while the NBA is more outside shooting-based in the modern era, reducing the need for a traditional center, Castleton is trying to prove this summer that his game translates to the professional ranks.

Florida Basketball: King of the Castle

After going undrafted, Castleton signed as a free agent with the LA Lakers.

And if you want to know where we are at in the sports calendar as a whole, it is NBA Summer League time.

Reading too much into the Summer League can be dangerous, as guys pop off all the time during the summer, only to never be heard from again once the regular season rolls around.

But the league does provide a valuable vessel for fringe guys like Castleton to prove their worth to stick around.

Monday night, he made his LA Lakers debut as they took on the Miami Heat. Castleton played 15 minutes of the 40-minute game, scoring 11 points off 5-5 shooting, collecting four rebounds and blocking one shot.

Keep in mind this was his first competitive basketball game in uniform since breaking his wrist while still with the Gators.

It’s hard to say whether Casleton would make the opening-day roster for the Lakers. Anthony Davis is the presumptive starting center, but as it stands right now, the Lakers only have seven players under contract for the 2023-24 season.

Eight players from their 2022-23 team, including backup center Mo Bamba, are UFAs.

So if the Lakers are looking for a cheap option that has the ability to be a very solid rim protector, it is entirely possible Castleton can impress enough during the Summer League to warrant a roster spot.