MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State signee David Castillo (Bartlesville, Okla./Sunrise Christian Academy [Kan.]) will play for Team USA in the prestigious 25th annual Nike Hoop Summit at 9 p.m., CT on Saturday (April 13) night at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore. The game will air nationally on FS1.
Castillo, who was named to the team in January, will be among 12 American high school seniors who will take on a World Team of top international players 19-and-younger at the Nike Hoops Summit, which has been held annually since 1995. An impressive 287 alumni have been drafted into the NBA, including 15 No. 1 picks and 92 top-10 selections. Team USA has a 17-7 record all-time against the World Select Team, including three straight wins.
Castillo will be joined on Team USA by Ace Bailey (Rutgers), Isaiah Evans (Duke), Cooper Flagg (Duke), Boogie Fland (Kentucky), Dylan Harper (Rutgers), Ian Jackson (North Carolina), Morez Johnson Jr. (Illinois), Tre Johnson (Texas), Asa Newell (Georgia), Patrick Ngongba II (Duke) and Jayden Quaintance.
The team will be led by head coach Sharman White (Pace Academy [Ga.]) and assistant coaches Frank Bennett (Chaminade College Prep [Mo.]) and Nick LoGalbo (Lane Technical College Prep [Ill.]).
Castillo will go up against future conference foes Flory Bidunga (Congo/Kansas) and V.J. Edgecombe (Bahamas/Baylor), who highlight an 11-man World Select Team roster led by head coach Marshall Cho.
“It’s great honor for David,” said head coach Jerome Tang upon his selection in January. “First of all, other than this past summer, he didn't make Team USA (the under-19 team) because he was injured. The two summers before that, he was the starting point guard on gold-medal winning teams. This past summer, they didn't even medal without him. David's a winner and this is a reward for the hard work that he's put in. I think he's gonna have a blast playing that game. He's healthy now. He’s been out of sight out of mind (because of his injury), so people are gonna see what a talent he is. I'm happy for him and his family. It's a great honor to be a part of that team and excited to watch.”
Castillo has a long history with USA Basketball, having led Team USA to a pair of gold medals, including the 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup. He was also invited to the 2023 Team USA Junior National Team minicamp in April but could not play due to a foot injury.
A native of Bartlesville, Okla., Castillo played three years at Bartlesville High School before transferring to prep powerhouse Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kan., for his senior season in 2023-24.
Playing for K-State alum Clent Stewart, Castillo left Bartlesville as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,594 points, averaging 23.7 points per game in his 67-game career. He was twice named to the Tulsa World All-State Team and was a finalist for the World’s 2023 State Player of the Year.
Castillo is rated among the top 50 players nationally by three of the four recruiting services, including No. 43 by Rivals, No. 48 by 247Sports and No. 50 by ESPN, while is among the top-10 point guards, including No. 7 by 247Sports, No. 8 by Rivals and No. 9 by On3.
K-State finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 record, including a tie for ninth in the Big 12 with an 8-10 mark, and advanced to the NIT. Among the Wildcats’ 19 victories were 4 over Top 25 teams, including 3 in the Top 10. The team has won 45 games in Tang’s tenure, including consecutive postseason appearances.