How Spurs guard Devin Vassell's 'rewarding' play overshadows recent misfortunes
03/31/2025 03:19 PM
In each of the team’s previous two complete seasons, Devin Vassell has ranked second on the San Antonio Spurs in scoring. Two years ago, the 2020 first-round draft pick trailed only Keldon Johnson. Last season, super rookie Victor Wembanyama led the Silver and Black in that category. In every one of his four NBA seasons, the 11th overall pick of the 2020 draft increased his scoring.
After missing the first two weeks of this season because of an injury, Vassell was again second in that area through the first half of 2024-2025. When the Spurs traded for star guard De’Aaron Fox, Vassell’s output dropped a bit as Fox took up the mantle of Robin to Wemby’s Batman. But with both now out with injuries, much of the offensive load has fallen on the former Florida State star.
Opposing coaches have noticed.
“It’s definitely good, it’s definitely rewarding,” Vassell responded when told that Detroit Pistons head man J.B. Bickerstaff mentioned that he looked more like a lead guard.
“That’s just how I am, it’s how I want to be known and how I want to be mentioned,” the Suwanee, Georgia native continued. “I’ve just got to keep staying aggressive, keep playing confident. I’m excited, man. I’m excited for however many games we’ve got to showcase that we’re a good team. We’ve got a lot of good players, a lot of young talent. Obviously, without Vic and De’Aaron it’s tough, but I’m excited to get them guys back. I’m just excited, I’m excited for this whole thing.”
Spurs’ Devin Vassell picks up aggression down the stretch
In a stretch of four consecutive games recently, Vassell scored at least 20 in each. That included 26 at the Pistons.
“He was aggressive. I thought he was one of the few guys in the first half who was intentionally trying to fight for spots and space. You saw that, I think he had almost half our points. He was a bright spot in the first half and even in the second half,” Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson said following that game.
“He had some plays that won’t show up in the scoring or in the box score,” Johnson continued, “But he had some physicality plays that he didn’t have when we played them in Austin. It’s another example of where he is impacting the play that doesn’t necessarily show up in the box score.”
Johnson was referencing a February 21 loss vs. Detroit in the Texas state capitol. It was the team’s second game after Wembanyama’s season-ending diagnosis. An ensuing slump occurred before Vassell and the Spurs won three straight in mid March.
“Even with them two out, we’ve been playing some really good basketball,” Vassell said, alluding to Fox’s prolonged absence, which had started a week and a half before those comments.
Like several around the organization and some around the NBA, the fifth-year guard sees the young Spurs potential.
“I think we’ve got a really special thing going on right now.”
The same could apply to Vassell these days. How it translates going forward could determine if the Spurs turn out toe be special.
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