NBA Draft: Grading every first-round pick after rookie year
player. 29. . SF. San Antonio Spurs. Devin Vassell. 11
NBA Draft: Grading every first-round pick after rookie year: 11. Devin Vassell
Stats:
- 5.5 points
- 2.8 rebounds
- 0.9 assists
If you can play, head coach Greg Popovich will find out. And while it’s early, things aren’t looking very good for first-year small forward Devin Vassell.
After years of competing for championships, the San Antonio Spurs found themselves with a high draft. Hoping to find a star, they decided to take a shot on Vassell with their selection. So far, it’s been a complete miss. In his rookie year, Vassell dropped 5.5 points per game and 2.8 rebounds. He struggled to make anything from midrange, connecting on only 40.6 percent from inside the arc. His three-point stroke was decent as he nailed 34.7 percent from distance.
Most rookies find themselves buried on the depth chart due to a great player or several solid ones in the lineup ahead of them. But when it comes to Vassell, his competition was thin. Rudy Gay is 34 and has seen better days, Keldon Johnson has shown a ton of promise but shouldn’t be head and shoulders ahead of Vassell, yet he is, and Trey Lyles has already proven to be a bust in the league. Despite that, they have all contributed more this past season than Vassell.
If Popovich can’t reach his potential, then there’s simply no hope for Vassell to achieve much in the league.
Grade: C+