24 April 2023
BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (KSNT)- Composite 5-star point guard David Castillo announced his commitment to Kansas State last week.
The No. 1 ranked player in the state of Oklahoma for the Class of 2024 will be a Wildcat. Castillo is also the No. 3 rated point guard in the country for his graduating class.
The Bartlesville, Oklahoma native spoke with 27 News in his high school gym after announcing his college choice.
“It was kind of just a gut feeling,” Castillo said. “I really trust Coach Tang and everything that he believes in and I want to help him win a National Championship.”
Make no mistake: K-State’s success in year one under Jerome Tang stood out to the 5-star commit.
“It was pretty big,” Castillo said. “He told me that he wanted to win a National Championship before the [2022-23] season. For him to almost come very close it brought some attention to me. It was very cool to see.”
Castillo explained to 27 Sports Director Glenn Kinley what stood out the most throughout his conversations with K-State basketball’s coaching staff.
“One, he’s a Godly man. Me and my family we trust God and believe in God and he does the same things, and he puts everything into him just like we do,” Castillo said.
A second factor that weighed in was Jerome Tang’s history with point guards.
“He lets his guards play,” Castillo said. “I want to play. I want to go compete. I want to go out there and have fun.”
Castillo says he took note of Markquis Nowell’s success in one year with Jerome Tang. The new K-State commit says it was motivating to see a player transform his game in his fifth year of college basketball when being put in Coach Tang’s system.
Additionally, a phone call from Jerome Tang after K-State’s biggest win of the season stuck with Castillo. After K-State beat Michigan State in the Sweet 16, Tang called the point guard from Oklahoma.
Castillo explained in an exclusive interview with 27 Sports Director Glenn Kinley, which aired in Sunday night’s K-Nation show.
“I think the first time I really knew I wanted to go play for Coach Tang is when he called me after the [Sweet 16] March Madness game,” Castillo said. “He yelled at me. He said ‘I know you want to be a dude!’ And it kind of hit me in the chest a little, it’s like ‘Yeah, I kind of do.’ For him to say that and call me right after the game is very special.”
Castillo has one year of high school basketball left before joining the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season.