With Elgin Baylor starring in his lineup, Castellani led the 1958 team to the NCAA title game in Louisville, Kentucky,[1] but lost 84–72 to the Kentucky Wildcats, led by head coach Adolph Rupp.
[2] At the age of 31 he is the youngest head coach to lead a team to the national championship game.
Only a month after the championship game, NCAA violations came to light concerning airfare bought for recruits Ben Warley and George Finley.
The result was that Castellani resigned under fire on April 21,[3] Baylor left for the NBA, and Seattle was given a two-year postseason ban.
After he was released by the Lakers, he attended law school at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.