Devin Vassell, Florida State, Wing
When it comes to NBA prospects, two words you hear a lot surrounding players are “ceiling” and “floor.”
Devin Vassell from Florida State is an example of one of those high floor players, meaning he has the potential to be a quality player regardless of his development.
Vassell, to me, is the clear cut best shooter in the draft. In today’s NBA, where spacing is the name of the game, you can never have enough shooting. He shot a blistering 41 percent (on 3.5 attempts per game) from three during his sophomore campaign at Florida State.
Vassell is an athletic wing who has the build (6’7, 200 lbs, 6’10 wingspan) to be a very impactful defender on the floor. And at just 20 years old, he’s still growing. He’s a prime example of a quality 3&D prospect with the emphasis on the “3”.
Adding a shooter of Vassell’s caliber to play next to the likes of Bradley Beal and John Wall would do wonders for the Wizards offense. But there are question marks surrounding his offensive game. Vassell struggles to find his shot at times and can appear to be a little passive when he is not in the flow of the offense.
Watching film, he reminded me a bit of a former first-round pick that was very polarizing in Washington, Otto Porter. Vassell is a much better shooter than Porter was coming out, but they have similar play styles.
For Vassell, the key for him will be continuing to shoot the ball well while becoming more aggressive on offense. At the worst, Vassell could be a quality three-point shooter coming off the bench. At his best, he could become another highly sought after 3&D specialist helping a championship contender.