Encouragement from the Spurs helps Devin Vassell shine early in his season.
Overlooked in the departures of the aforementioned perimeter players in San Antonio is the role it creates for third-year wing Devin Vassell. Largely relegated to an off-ball role during his first two years, Vassell has the green light to fire away from distance and get more creative with the ball in his hands. It’s largely been successful with a few duds mixed in as the 22-year-old averaged 17.4 points per game through three regular-season games and four in the preseason.
He’s visibly confident shooting 3-pointers, entering his shooting motion fluidly upon receiving the ball while pulling up off screens or dribbling without hesitation. Vassell is also shooting his highest volume of field-goal attempts since his senior year of high school at Peachtree Ridge in Suwanee, Georgia. It’s a testament to the level of trust that San Antonio’s coaching staff has in its rising star to elevate his play in the face of a challenge and be the player they drafted him to be.
Vassell’s excellence begins on the defensive end, where his natural instincts and constant effort have been a shining example for the rest of San Antonio’s roster. He’s the first to jump in a passing lane or close out on a shooter, but also has the wherewithal to blitz a driving player to swat their shot attempts when he sees an opening. Without going too far into detail he’s not a fun player to be matched up against on a team that’s been lackluster on defense in recent years.
Shooting and defense are the baselines for Vassell, but the key improvement areas have been in his playmaking and in-between game. By making decisive dribbles, he’s able to get to his spots and into the shooting motion with a fluidity that was previously lacking. Using ball fakes within the flow of his offense, Vassell is embracing the Spursian style of making a decision as soon as the ball touches his hands. That means more precise actions and in turn, increased playmaking volume since so much of the offense is running through him these days.
The next key will be to remain as engaged on offense as he is on defense through the full 48 minutes of an NBA game. We’ve seen some tremendous scoring outbursts through quarters or halves, but Vassell has yet to assert himself in such a manner through the entirety of a game this year. In part, it’s because of the prerogative of San Antonio’s system, but it’s also something that great players transcend when they reach a certain plain of talent.
Like with Keldon, the Spurs aren’t going to put a cap on just how far Vassell can grow with this opportunity. But at the rate they’re growing, Johnson and Vassell have a chance to become one of the best wing tandems in basketball on both sides of the floor.