Devin Vassell looks to step up alongside Victor Wembanyama, but can he do it?
The San Antonio Spurs drafting Victor Wembanyama has brought new depth to discussions about the franchise, moving beyond a single narrative.. That’s what happens when you draft a rookie who played like a future Hall of Fame lock. Basketball is a team sport, of course, and we shouldn’t forget about the players that will help the Spurs return to championship form.
Devin Vassell represents this more than any other Spur. The 11th pick in 2020 continued his development in year four as a fledgling offensive star. Despite entering the NBA as a defensive specialist, the 6’7 wing flourished on the offensive end. He averaged 19.5 points, 4.1 assists and 3.8 boards per game on slightly below-league-average efficiency (57.8% true shooting).
Vassell’s offense continues to progress despite a large increase in usage over his past few seasons. His efficiency improved every season, something many young players with large offensive loads can’t boast. Vassell’s high-level off-dribble shooting fuels his offense, as he’s become one of the league’s brightest young wing shotmakers.
Devin Vassell can become one of the NBA's premier shotmakers
Last season, Vassell shot 37.1% from deep on 7.1 attempts per 75 possessions. Even more lethal from mid-range, he converted an impressive 46.1% of 6.1 mid-rangers per 75 possessions. Vassell thrives as an off-ball shooter as well, draining 40.7% of his 300 catch-and-shoot triples.
He’s already one of the league’s best wing intermediate scorers, rising over defenders to hit pull-up jumpers. Vassell’s touch lets him thrive in floater range, dropping in runners, jumpers and fadeaways. Extending his pull-up range to beyond the arc will help grow his on-ball potency. Last year, Vassell shot 33.5% on 170 off-dribble threes. Increasing that number would turn Vassell into a flamethrowing shooter from all over the floor.
Vassell grew as a playmaker every season, posting career-high assist numbers next to Wembanyama last season. He’s a strong reactive passer, capable of finding cutters and kicking out to shooters running pick and rolls. Wembanyama’s presence as a lob threat helps out greatly, as Vassell’s touch and timing let Wemby dominate in the air.
Vassell may never be a primary playmaker, but he’s developing into an above-average wing passer who teams can trust to operate second-side actions. He’s learning to capitalize on his scoring with playmaking counters, which will be critical for his on-ball ceiling.
Without elite athletic tools, driving has been an improvement area for Vassell throughout his career. He’s not the quickest or strongest player, relying on his size and patient handle to navigate the floor and stave off traffic. But Vassell’s interior scoring efficiency skyrocketed last year.
Vassell made 69.2% (84th percentile) of his shots within five feet last season as compared to 58.7 across his last two seasons. That interior scoring jump is notable, fueled by efficient scoring in the restricted area (71.5%) and from 3-10 feet (51.1%). He weaponizes length, size and touch to feather in shots over and around defenders.
Despite this impressive scoring at the hoop, Vassell doesn’t drive to the rim enough to fully benefit from the efficiency growth. Just 16.3% of his total shots last season came within three feet last season and 12.6% from 3-10 feet (both career-high frequencies). Vassell’s tendency to pick the ball up early and favor jumpers compounds with his athletic limitations as a driver to limit how much pressure he can place on the rim.
How has Vassell's defensive frailties failed him thus far?
Opposite of his offense, Vassell entered the league as a coveted defensive prospect. He hasn’t matched that level of impact in the NBA thus far, though, topping out as just a solid defender this season (+0.4 Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus). At Florida State, Vassell covered enormous amounts of ground with his elite range and instincts. His secondary rim protection (4.1% block rate) hasn’t translated from college, posting a career-low 0.8% block rate last year.
On the ball, Vassell’s feet are a bit too sluggish to change directions against quicker players. He’s not strong enough yet to hold ground against powerful slashers, limiting his on-ball positional versatility. Vassell slides well against wings and he can check less explosive players with his length and mobility. Those agility issues hurt his screen navigation as well, rendering Vassell a team defense specialty in some matchups.
He has become a strong off-ball defender even if he isn’t elite. Vassell disrupts with his length as a nail and low man defender even if it’s not at his college level. Excellent instincts, help Vassell jump passing lanes and contest at the rim, even if they’re not converting into blocks. San Antonio’s complete lack of perimeter defensive talent didn’t help Vassell, making his help responsibilities high.
Vassell reaching elite defender status would do wonders for his ceiling as a two-way wing. It’s rare to find on-ball creators at Vassell’s size who defend at a high level and the ones who do tend to be stars. I’m not sure that’s realistic given his athletic limitations, but Vassell’s offensive output has him on a positive trajectory.
The Spurs didn’t surround Vassell with adequate talent until Wembanyama crossed the pond. He’s never won 35 games in a season, representative of the quality of his teammates. We should celebrate his development into a diverse, efficient wing scorer. Vassell reminds us that great players can develop in a myriad of ways.
What being alongside Victor Wembanyama for year 2 should do for Devin Vassell?
Wembanyama’s presence will only amplify Vassell’s skillset. As a magnetic lob threat and snappy playmaker, Vassell and Wembanyama harmonize on offense. With both Vassell and Wembanyama on the floor last season, the Spurs posted a 112.7 offensive rating compared to 109.3 overall.
Shotmaking wings are valuable commodities in the modern NBA. At their worst, high-level shooting forwards can raise the floor for an otherwise underwhelming roster. At best, they can become key pieces on title teams as they round their games out. Can Vassell keep growing as a playmaker, driver and defender to round out his toolbox?
With Wembanyama at the helm, the Spurs should be in a position to compete for championships at some point in the near future. He can’t carry the team alone, so building up the young core will be paramount. At the moment, Vassell’s development makes it likely that he could end up as a third or fourth star on an eventual return to the mountaintop for San Antonio.