Top 5 second-year NBA players having breakout seasons

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – MAY 05: Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots over Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz during a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on May 5, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /

Second-year NBA players having breakout seasons this year: Devin Vassell

Last season, Devin Vassell took the form of a 3&D bench prospect for the San Antonio Spurs. He’s filling the same role this season, but as an ace.

Vassell has more than doubled his scoring output from last year, averaging 11.6 points per game. He is developing into an elite three-point shooter, hitting 38.8 percent of his attempts on nearly five shots per game.

The young wing knows his role and he plays it well. For the second straight season, nearly half of his field-goal attempts are coming from the perimeter. He has no issue looking for his shot and knocking them down at a solid rate.

Shooting threes is only half the role Vassell plays, though. Luckily for the Spurs, he’s making big improvements on the defensive end as well.

Vassell is grabbing 3.7 rebounds per game, including 3.2 on the defensive boards. He’s also averaging 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks per game, both big improvements on last year’s numbers.

The Florida State alum’s offensive game is making much larger strides than his defensive game – his offensive box plus/minus is up by 2.5 points, while his defensive box plus/minus is actually down 0.6 – but gains are clear on both ends. If Vassell keeps getting better, it’s going to be harder to justify having him come off the bench.