New York Knicks: Three choices for the 8th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft

New York Knicks NBA draft Option No. 2: Devin Vassell

Devin Vassell is another prospect the Knicks are considering in this draft. The 6’6, 180 lbs wing from Florida State University averaged 12.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 49.0 field goal percentage, and 41.5 3-point percentage in 28.8 minutes per game. The former Seminole is known for his 3-point shooting, passing and defensive awareness. He truly is the prototypical 3-and-D player that teams are looking for in the draft.

Vassell is a scrappy give-it-all-you-got type player who is always hustling. Whether it’s chasing down players on defense or continuously moving to get open on offense, Vassell is never stagnant. To be honest, it seems like he drank 10 cups of coffee before stepping on the court.

Players who frequently move to find open shots are such threats in the league. Just think of Klay Thompson, Kris Middleton, Rip Hamilton, or god forbid, Reggie Miller (*shudders*). All of these players understand (or understood) the importance of moving off-ball to get themselves open. Now I’m not saying Vassell will be one of the players I just listed. Although, I believe he has the ceiling to be someone like Kris Middleton (which would be a dream come true for the Knicks if they select him).

Vassell’s defense is another trait that intrigues teams. He can close out on players, communicate powerfully to organize the defense, and rotate effectively on help defense. Also, Vassell is a lowkey rim protector. He was averaging 1 block a game as a wing, which is pretty impressive.

But like any prospect, he has weaknesses in his game. One concern for the young wing is his ability to embrace contact. When Vassell attacks the lane, he doesn’t have the build to finish through traffic. Additionally, he tends to shy away from contact, limiting his ability to get to the free-throw line – he averaged 2.2 free-throws per game.

Vassell is also a lackluster dribbler. Meaning, he isn’t a crafty enough ball-handler to get defenders off-balance and create space to score, which is concerning for a player of his size. Vassell isn’t 6’10” and a power forward where not having handles is acceptable. Vassell is the average height of a shooting guard, a position known for being dynamic.

Another concern is his thin frame. He has the length to guard multiple positions, but he doesn’t possess the weight or strength to challenge opponents. However, that shouldn’t be a concern because he is only 19 years old and still growing. So there should be hope that he’ll put on weight as he gets older.

Now, some of you may wonder why I didn’t bring up his shot as a concern. Most recently on The Putback with Ian Begley, Vassell’s coach informed reporters that Vassell was messing around at the end of practice and has not changed his shooting form.

Nevertheless, Vassell would be a solid pick for the Knicks. With his outside shooting and defensive tenacity, he will fit into Thibodeau’s basketball philosophy. In a recent presser, Thibodeau mentioned that he wants the team to excel in corner threes and defense, two areas that Vassell can contribute.