The San Antonio Spurs have one player that no one is talking about, but will determine how successful they are next season.
The San Antonio Spurs have done a brilliant job rebuilding their roster, putting together a brilliant squad around a great young core.
Over the last few years, the Spurs have gotten lucky in the draft with three straight top-five picks, with which they selected Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper.
And to balance the side with experience, the Spurs signed De’Aaron Fox to a $229 million extension, ensuring that he stays with the team for the foreseeable future.
But there is one other star, aside from the names mentioned above, who will be the key behind the Spurs’ success next season.
Former NBA star says Devin Vassell is ‘crucial’ to San Antonio Spurs’ success
Former NBA champion Matt Bonner was a guest on SiriusXM’s NBA Radio show. When discussing his former team, the San Antonio Spurs, he picked out a key player that fans aren’t talking about.
Bonner believes that Devin Vassell is crucial to their success. His play on both ends of the court is going to be massive for them.
“One of my keys to the Spurs’ success is Devin Vassell. I think he’s underrated. He’s sneaky and super athletic on both ends of the floor. He’s just got to stay healthy, stay on the floor.
“When people look at their roster, they forget about him. He’s like a really good player. So I think he gives them like a really good third scoring option that can go off and be that X-factor when they need it.”
Vassell is a player often not acknowledged by fans when talking about the bright prospects on the Spurs. However, his presence will be crucial for them next season.
Devin Vassell has been developing with each passing season
A quick peek at the numbers for Devin Vassell shows just how strong he has been for them across his career.
Since entering the NBA, Vassell has almost always improved his statistics. Here are his scoring numbers:
Vassell’s scoring numbers went down last season, presumably due to the rise of Stephon Castle as the Spurs’ third option.
And it could happen again next season as Dylan Harper and De’Aaron Fox get more minutes next season. But if he gets to play at the small forward role, he might get more minutes and be allowed to score more.
Perhaps Vassell is going to be relied on to play some high-level defense, guarding players at the perimeter with the highest level of effort.
