Don’t look now, but the San Antonio Spurs might have the NBA’s next elite wing duo
By Dylan Carter
Three games into a rebuilding year, the San Antonio Spurs are, once again, overachieving. Following a thrashing at the hands of a Charlotte Hornets team sans LaMelo Ball, the Spurs defeated the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers in back-to-back contests on the road, increasing their win total to 2-1 on the backs of an unlikely wing tandem.
The names Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell don’t mean much to households outside of Bexar County, but to those paying attention, these two players are one of the most exciting storylines of a fresh season. Averaging a combined 40 points through three contests, Johnson and Vassell are the unquestioned top scoring options for the Spurs this year despite being relegated to off-ball roles in seasons past.
The absence of Dejounte Murray, Derrick White and Lonnie Walker — each of whom departed the team via trade or free agency since the 2022 trade deadline — illuminated the yellow brick road for the 22 & 23-year-old wings. Famed head coach Gregg Popovich doesn’t just trust them to handle usage on par with some of the league’s greatest stars. He’s designing his offense to make sure the ball gets back in their hands at every opportunity.
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Vassell & Johnson create the foundation of a San Antonio Spurs rebuild.
Guards are flashy and centers are crucial, but today’s NBA is largely dominated by the wing. Before Stephen Curry won the honor this past year, the Finals MVP was won by a forward in 11 consecutive seasons, and with the exception of Giannis Antetokounmpo, a perimeter player has won the Finals MVP every year since 2006.
The fact of the matter is that forwards and wings are the lifeblood of most teams contending for a championship, which is the ultimate goal the San Antonio Spurs seek in every season — even in a tanking year like this one. By investing in Johnson & Vassell, two bright young players with two-way tenacity, finishing talent and great promise as shooters, the Spurs are building toward their next championship window.
Given their innate skill level and uncanny capacity for growth, this duo has a chance to be at the core of a team competing at the highest level for years to come.