Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Draft: Concern on Devin Vassell’s shot

One of the Cleveland Cavaliers primary NBA Draft targets, Devin Vassell, has some new concerns surrounding his shooting form.

On paper, Devin Vassell is an NBA Draft prospect that makes sense for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. In college, Vassell was a versatile two-way player who could catch-and-shoot at a high-rate. Both of these talents help the Cavaliers fill a big void on the wing in terms of shooting and perimeter defense.

However, a recent video clip of Vassell working on his jump shot has fans concerned. There is a clear difference in his form during this workout – as we can see a noticeable hitch in his shooting motion.

This video was soon deleted by his camp, but nothing is ever truly deleted from the internet. In this short clip, we can see how Vassell is now catapulting the ball from behind his head before releasing – something he didn’t do in his two seasons for Florida State.

It should be noted that in the controversial clip, Vassell did connect on all of his attempts. But, his form is questionable enough to cause concern. Remember how a hitch drastically impacted the young career of Markelle Fultz?

Thankfully, there are no reports of nerve damage throwing off Vassell’s jump shot. Nonetheless, it is perplexing that someone who shot 41.5 percent from the 3-point line last season would overhaul his form on such short notice.

There is a reason NBA players are taught not to shoot the way Vassell is in the video. Catapulting the ball forward like this results in line-drive shots – which are harder to consistently make than the typical soft touch we see from shooting forms in which the ball is released lower.

Sure, there are players who have succeeded at the NBA level with peculiar shooting forms. Larry Bird famously shot with a hitch and has been widely regarded as one of the greatest shooters of all-time. Still, Bird is an anomaly.

One of the core aspects of Vassell’s game is his 3-point shooting. Vassell connected on 70-of-168 total 3-point attempts in college. Without his consistency from deep, he would not be a projected top 10 pick.

We have yet to see how this shift in form has impacted Vassell’s ability to shoot – or if this adjustment is a result of an injury. This places an x-factor on his draft value as it will be difficult for any team to place their faith on a 3-and-D prospect who might not pan out as a shooter at the NBA level.

The Cavaliers are in desperate need of a talent like Vassell. They posted the worst Defensive Rating in basketball and ranked in the bottom 10 in 3-point shooting last season. Adding a wing player that can spread the floor and guard the perimeter would do wonders for their competitiveness.

With the No. 5 pick in the draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers may be better off targetting a player like Isaac Okoro, who is a strong perimeter defender but less of a shooter. If there is a chance Vassell’s jump shot has failed him – it makes more sense to draft the best defender possible, which is Okoro.