Given the presence of Victor Wembanyama and with the additions of Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes, it was easy to forget — especially from a national perspective — that the San Antonio Spurs started this season without last year's second-leading scorer, Devin Vassell.
After scoring 21 points off the bench in his season debut, the former Florida State star, who averaged a career-high 19.5 points per game last season, scored 12 more in 21 minutes in a 20-point win vs. the Sacramento Kings.
“Talent is always nice and he does a great job,” Mitch Johnson, who's coaching the team in Gregg Popovich's absence, said succinctly.
Devin Vassell making his presence felt immediately
Just as the team was set to open training camp, the Spurs announced Vassell would miss at least the first couple of weeks of the season as he recovered from foot surgery in late June. The now fifth-year forward missed the last two weeks of last season.
“It's been a long time. I hadn't played in a long time,” Vassell said following his first game back on Saturday in a one point loss to the Utah Jazz.
“During the off-season, I was frustrated because, at the end of the day, I wanted to be with my teammates and play with them and have training camp and everything. I was able to get through it.”
As Johnson navigates leading the team in place of the Hall of Famer, Popovich, he's leaning some on Vassell's experience.
“He's been here, so he knows a lot of things we're asking. He's been out for a long time, but he's done a heck of a job getting back and it's good to see him continue to work himself back into the fold.”
“Last week, I was with G League,” Vassell stated following the 111-110 loss to Utah. “It was good for me to be back out there, good for me to playing with some of these guys but ultimately I wanted to get that win, so I'm kind of upset about that.”
Vassell contributes in his first win since March
The 11th overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, scored 12 points in Tuesday's 116-96 victory vs. Sacramento.
“We knew who to go back to. Devin had a great stretch.” Spurs star Victor Wembanyama said of an impressive team-wide effort while singling out Vassell.
The shooting guard's return allowed Spurs veteran point guard Chris Paul to enjoy a rare first in his 20th NBA season.
“Listen, I don't know if me and Devin actually got in the game together last game. This might have been the first time we've ever played on the court together.”
“He's so big for our team,” Paul continued. “To be out for as long as he's been out, to come back with the utmost confidence, it's fun for me to see. I've played against him but he's never been on the same team.”
“The confidence that he brings to our team, that added weapon, that added threat, it's crazy to think that he has no rust. He's coming back and we need him.”
The Spurs have split the two games since Vassell's been back and are a game under .500 11 games into 2024-25.
Follow Us
Subscribe
