He's certainly not the San Antonio Spurs most high profile figure. He's not their leading scorer, nor is he their best defensive player. In fact, even though he's just 23 years old, no one expects him to be the team's go-to guy in the future.
But, right now, and perhaps, for this entire season, Devin Vassell may be the best Spurs most important player.
Vassell key to any Spurs success
Vassell has missed five games throughout this season with what the team called a mild groin strain.
In those games, the Spurs…
Lost a 22-point lead on their way to a 123-116 overtime loss at home to the Toronto Raptors. It would mark the beginning of a ten game losing streak.
Lost by 41 points at the Indiana Pacers. San Antonio was beaten from the get go, trailing by 16 after the first quarter.
Lost 129-120 to the Sacramento Kings. Because they've given up so many big leads or have been on the wrong end of lopsided results, it's one of the Spurs few back and forth games and they were without their second leading scorer down the stretch.
Lost a 19-point lead in suffering their worst setback of the season. Vassell could only watch as a depleted Memphis Grizzlies squad turned a nearly 20-point deficit into a 12 point victory.
Lost by 25 to to the Los Angeles Clippers. That the Spurs lost by seven in their second of back to back games against the Clippers Wednesday compared to this 124-99 point defeat on Monday reveals how much of a difference the Florida State alum can make.
It should also be noted that Vassell has played a single half twice this season. The Spurs blew a 27-point advantage in what ultimately resulted in a splendid 38-point performance by Victor Wembanyama at the Phoenix Suns in a 132-121 win on November 2. The second came in a 21-point loss at Madison Square Garden in Vassell's return after suffering the groin straight at the very end of the second quarter against Phoenix. He played only 12 minutes in the 126-105 loss to the New York Knicks.
The Spurs have three victories to show through their first 15 games. Vassell led them in scoring in their first triumph with 25 against the Houston Rockets. He was pacing them with 17 points in just 17 minutes in the aforementioned victory at Phoenix. He added 18 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in the first of back to back victories against the Suns.
Vassell's scoring consistency
Like last year, Vassell is second on the Spurs in scoring. He averaged 18.8 points per game in 38 contests (because of injuries and eventual arthroscopic knee surgery) compared to Keldon Johnson's 22. At 17.4 ppg this season, he's a shade under Wembanyama's 18.8 average.
In his fourth year in the league, the 2020 11th overall pick is growing his game in other ways as well.
“Now, I feel like, coming back, I'll be able to be bigger in that leadership role, helping out in certain times.”
Offensively, Vassell has a better sense of where he wants to go on the court and he’s getting to those spots with more ease. He not only helps run the offense, but many of the team's most productive sets run through him, especially with the 19-year-old Wemby finding his way as a rookie.
Simply put, right now – and frankly, for the foreseeable future – Devin Vassell is arguably the Spurs' most important player.
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