Sleeper candidates for each of the NBA Awards in 2022-23

NBA Awards Sleeper: Spurs wing Devin Vassell for Most Improved Player

Another surprising young team making noise in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs simply aren’t as high in the standings without a phenomenal early run from third-year wing Devin Vassell. A clear-cut lottery talent coming out of Florida State, Vassell has been growing within the Spurs system as one of their clear focal points for this next iteration.

By forming a dynamic duo with Vassell and Keldon Johnson, the Spurs have two contenders for this award, but Johnson was a bit more well-known coming into the year. Vassell, to many of the more casual fans, is an unknown commodity. At 6-foot-5 with a wingspan 10 inches longer, Vassell is scoring the ball at all three levels with an improved handle and the highest usage of his young career by a country mile.

That uptick is yielding huge results to the tune of 21.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and four assists per game on 62.3% true shooting, which is an 8.8% increase from his career average before this season. The playmaking has been a pleasant revelation for an individual who spent most of his career playing off the ball with lead ball handlers like Dejounte Murray and DeMar DeRozan in charge of the offense. These aren’t simple passes either — he’s making smart reads off the drive and passing within team sets through complex actions.

We’re looking at the emergence of a bright pillar of what’s to come in San Antonio. Although he’ll face some stiff competition when it’s time for voters to cast their ballots, Vassell is going to stick in the minds of fans and analysts alike during NBA Awards season.