OKC Thunder: NBA Draft big board 2.0 – Top 30 prospects
By Rylan Stiles
Devin Vassell, SF, FSU, 6’7, 195 pounds, 19 years old
Devin Vassell averaged 12 points last year for the Seminoles, showing off his fantastic defense both on and off-ball with over a steal per contest, Vassell can do it all.
Not only can he defend his man, but no one in this class has a higher defensive IQ. An IQ on that end of the floor that Matisse Thybulle had a year ago, and is now already trusted by the 76ers to defend some of the best NBA scorers.
He has a great catch and shoot ability that allows him to create his own shot given the height he gets on the jumper to shoot over defenders. His ability to get that shot off no matter if it is off the dribble, or a catch and shoot situation make him the best 3-and-D player in this year’s NBA Draft.
He plays his role extremely well and could become a rotation player right out the gate, I wonder given his ball-handling limitations and his inability to drive at the rim, how much more can he turn into besides a nice 3-and-D player. While that is a valuable skill to have, other prospects offer more in this class.
Vassell is a safe option, and no matter if it is right or wrong, NBA GMs rarely like safe. Still though, whoever lands Vassell will be glad they did. He could be a difference-maker from day one, and many other prospects will take a bit longer to fill into their NBA roles.