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Jayson Castro William[1][2] (born June 30, 1986) is a Filipino professionalbasketball player for theTNT Tropang 5G of thePhilippine Basketball Association (PBA). His moniker is "The Blur" for his speed.[3]
He played for thePhilippine Christian UniversityDolphins in theNational Collegiate Athletic Association,Philippine Basketball League teamsHapee-PCU Teeth Protectors andHarbour Centre Batang Pier.
Originally from neighboring Betis,Guagua, Castro was a part of the high school basketball team ofDon Honorio Ventura State University inBacolor. Castro was the only player from his batch to play college basketball, withPhilippine Christian University (PCU) in Manila.[4]
Castro first played for the PCU Dolphins in the NCAA at the2003 season as a 5'10"point guard. The Dolphins were not able to clinch a Final Four berth, finishing with a 5–9 record.
Things changed on the2004 season in which PCU was able to make a turnaround with Castro,Gabby Espinas and Robert Sanz at the helm, denyingLetran a back-to-back championship run. Holding the twice to beat advantage, the Dolphins needed an extra game that went intoovertime to enter the finals. In the championship series against theUniversity of Perpetual Help, the Dolphins swept the best-of-3 finals series to win their first NCAA championship. Castro played second fiddle to both Espinas who won the League MVP award and Sanz, who won the Finals MVP award.
In the2005 season, the Dolphins went into another Final Four appearance, and they made short work ofMapúa on their way to the Finals where they met Letran once again. The Dolphins won Game 1 behind Castro's game-high 20 points. The Dolphins were beaten by Letran in the next two games as Castro got cold.
In2006 season, Castro gave out an all-NCAA team performance as he was named as one of the Mythical 5 members; he and Espinas led PCU to a third consecutive Finals appearance this time againstSan Beda College. Despite Castro scoring a team-high 16 points, the Dolphins were blown out by the Red Lions on Game 1. Castro's teammates stepped up on Game 2 to force a deciding game. In the third game, with PCU trailing by a point in the dying seconds, Castro passed off the game-winning shot to Beau Belga who missed his jumper to lose the championship for PCU. The Dolphins would be suspended the following year after irregularities on their high school team, thus ending Castro's collegiate career.
After a deserving NCAA 2004 Champions and part of the Mythical 5. The Fil-Am Jayson Castro William was headed to the AMP Mobile Phone team, which he was a backup to LA Tenorio. His PCU teammates Gabby Espinas and Rob Sanz, gave their worth talents to remain in the Philippine Basketball League. They were joined by Ateneo Blue Eagles team, composed ofPaolo Bugia,LA Tenorio,Magnum Membrere, and company.
In this time of Jayson Castro's life, he rose to the occasion. Even if he was still a backup to LA Tenorio, he played consistently. He was with Mac Cardona and his former PCU teammatesGabby Espinas, Rob Sanz,Beau Belga, and Joel Solis. Castro was slowly becoming a premiere amateur point guard during this time.
He then transferred to Hapee PCU. He remained with the team for a season with Gabby Espinas, Rob Sanz, Joel Solis, Mark Moreño and others. Unfortunately, the team was on a slump making them cellar dwellers on the standings. Hapee PCU had a disastrous season.
After PCU's championship, Lamoiyan Corporation sponsored the core of that team to participate in the PBL as the Hapee-PCU Teeth Sparklers. The Sparklers entered the Finals against theHarbour Centre Batang Pier and were defeated. Hapee made several more playoff runs but were beaten either by Harbour Centre or by Toyota-Otis (ironically mostly composed of Letran players).
In the midst of Jayson Castro's third season at Hapee, he was acquired byJunel Baculi, his coach in PCU, to join the RP team withMarvin Cruz,JC Intal,Ryan Araña, Chad Alonzo, and Beau Belga, with 2 imports. They claimed the SEABA 2006 club championship crown.
In the middle of the 2nd season and 3rd season, he was again acquired. He was with Gabe Norwood, Beau Belga, Chad Alonzo, Eugene Tan, Patrick Cabahug, andJeff Chan. They reached the finals but were unlucky as they lost the SEABA 2007 club championship crown. Castro was an MVP contender during this time.
When PCU was suspended, Castro transferred to Harbour Centre and won 2 championships with them. After 2 conferences of sterling performances, Castro was named as the PBL 2007 Most Valuable Player.[5] In the next season, Castro and the Batang Pier met Hapee, this time led by Filipino-AmericanGabe Norwood in both of the season's finals and beat them. Castro was adjudged as the MVP anew, beating Norwood. Proving himself to be a deserving grandslam MVP, he edgedReed Juntilla,Ken Bono, and Norwood in the race.
Castro signed with theSingapore Slingers during a televised ceremony in May 2008, and was supposed to be the firstFilipino player in theNational Basketball League, Australia's top-level professional basketball competition.[6][7] However, about a month before the start of the season, theSlingers withdrew permanently from the NBL citing excessive transport costs toAustralia.
During his championship career with theSingapore Slingers, he decided to leave the team and joined thePBA. He sent an application to thePhilippine Basketball Association enabling him to be included in the draft class of the2008 PBA Draft atMarket! Market! inBonifacio Global City,Taguig. Castro was selected as the third overall pick of the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters courtesy of a trade that sent superstarJay Washington to theSan Miguel Beermen in exchange for the third pick that turned out to be Castro.
Recently he was awarded by the PSA to be part of the Nation's brightest stars together withManny Pacquiao,Manny Pangilinan,Manny Villar,Kelly Williams,Nonito Donaire,Wesley So andWilly Wang. He was also awarded by the PBA to be theMr. Quality Minutes Player of the year beatingJoseph Yeo. He averaged 9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals in the 2008–09 PBA season.
The season's No. 3 draft pick was No. 7 in assists (3.9), No. 9 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8)
Talk N' Text won the championship against the San Miguel Beermen (4–2). He and Jimmy Alapag were titled as co-Finals MVPs.
Talk N' Text won back to back championships in the2011 Commissioner's Cup against another San Miguel Corporation franchise the Barangay Ginebra Kings. Castro was named the Finals MVP and co-siding again withJimmy Alapag for two consecutive conferences.
In 2015, Castro captured his sixth title with the Talk 'N Text franchise and PBA career after winning the2015 PBA Commissioner's Cup title againstRain or Shine Elasto Painters.
On October 14, 2016 Castro was recognized during the PBA Leo Awards Night as he was named to the PBA Mythcial First Team.[8]
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | MPG | Minutes per game | FG% | Field-goal percentage |
| 3FG% | 3-point field-goal percentage | 4P% | 4-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
As of the end of 2024–25 season[9][10]
| Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | 4P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | Talk 'N Text | 46 | 24.0 | .439 | .330 | — | .860 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 1.1 | .3 | 10.0 |
| 2009–10 | Talk 'N Text | 48 | 25.3 | .447 | .329 | — | .640 | 3.7 | 3.7 | .8 | .3 | 10.0 |
| 2010–11 | Talk 'N Text | 61 | 25.1 | .382 | .304 | — | .757 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 1.0 | .2 | 11.9 |
| 2011–12 | Talk 'N Text | 56 | 28.9 | .415 | .363 | — | .710 | 3.9 | 3.9 | .9 | .1 | 14.7 |
| 2012–13 | Talk 'N Text | 53 | 27.8 | .403 | .321 | — | .731 | 4.4 | 3.7 | .8 | .1 | 14.5 |
| 2013–14 | Talk 'N Text | 49 | 29.4 | .404 | .369 | — | .788 | 4.0 | 4.2 | .9 | .2 | 16.8 |
| 2014–15 | Talk 'N Text | 48 | 32.7 | .446 | .420 | — | .729 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 1.2 | .2 | 18.5 |
| 2015–16 | TNT | 41 | 31.6 | .421 | .342 | — | .753 | 4.0 | 6.1 | 1.1 | .4 | 20.3 |
| 2016–17 | TNT | 54 | 29.9 | .440 | .316 | — | .802 | 4.1 | 6.2 | 1.2 | .4 | 16.8 |
| 2017–18 | TNT | 33 | 28.3 | .388 | .342 | — | .844 | 4.5 | 5.6 | 1.4 | .5 | 14.8 |
| 2019 | TNT | 51 | 34.7 | .394 | .317 | — | .828 | 4.6 | 6.1 | 1.7 | .5 | 15.2 |
| 2020 | TNT | 19 | 28.1 | .438 | .278 | — | .745 | 3.5 | 5.1 | 1.5 | .2 | 15.2 |
| 2021 | TNT | 37 | 24.0 | .419 | .286 | — | .861 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 1.1 | .3 | 11.0 |
| 2022–23 | TNT | 53 | 24.8 | .457 | .365 | — | .798 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 1.1 | .2 | 12.4 |
| 2023–24 | TNT | 22 | 25.1 | .458 | .388 | — | .738 | 3.4 | 4.6 | .8 | .1 | 13.1 |
| 2024–25 | TNT | 35 | 21.2 | .433 | .340 | .500 | .764 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 1.0 | .1 | 9.5 |
| Career | 706 | 27.8 | .420 | .344 | .500 | .769 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 1.1 | .3 | 14.1 | |
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 FIBA Asia Championship | Philippines | 9 | 20.8 | .641 | .466 | .941 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 11.8 |
| 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup | 4 | 17.2 | .421 | .457 | .833 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 6.5 | |
| 2015 William Jones Cup | 6 | 24.0 | .543 | .344 | .692 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 13.3 | |
| 2015 FIBA Asia Championship | 9 | 24.4 | .519 | .467 | .850 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 16.7 |
Castro was in the roster of the Philippine basketball youth team in 2004.
Castro was a part of the Philippine national team in the2007 Southeast Asian Games basketball tournament. The Philippines won the gold medal without losing a game.
Jayson Castro was part of the Philippine team who won the silver medal in the2013 FIBA Asia Championship. He was part of the FIBA Asia Mythical Team.
Castro averaged better than 11 points in nine games for Gilas Pilipinas. He was brilliant in the last two games, scoring 17 points in the semifinal victory over South Korea and 18 in the gold medal game against Iran.
Jayson Castro once again proved to be the Asia's best point guard after he was named to the Mythical Five for the second straight FIBA Asia Championship.
He has been the Gilas Pilipinas main gunner in the tournament, with his partnership with naturalized player Andray Blatche proving to be a formidable duo on the offensive end.
The Philippines finished 2nd in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.
Castro was among the players who made it into the Final 12 roster of Gilas Pilipinas for the Men's Olympic Basketball Qualifying Tournament held inManila.
After the team bowed out of the competition, Castro announced on hisInstagram photo that he will retire from his international career, citing the game againstNew Zealand will be the final game of his stint with the national basketball team.[11]
For the very first time, a Filipino will play in the Australian professional basketball league, the NBL or National Basketball League.... And this player is none other than former National Collegiate Athletic Association and Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Most Valuable Player Jayson Castro.[permanent dead link]
Philippines squad | |||||||||||||||||||
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