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How big was Devin Vassell’s night in a Spurs win vs. the Brooklyn Nets? Only LeBron James has enjoyed a similar game in the annals of NBA history. With a career-highs in points (37) and three-pointers (8), the former Florida State Seminole also tied personal bests with four steals and 14 field goals.
It’s a career night that featured these stats: 35+ pts., 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 3+ steals, 5+ 3s and 70+ field goal %. The “King” is the league’s only other player to reach those numbers in a single game.
Vassell notched 30 points through three quarters vs. the Nets. He re-entered the game with 8:05 remaining.
ClutchPoints asked him if he was aware that at that moment he was seven points away from setting a new personal NBA high.
“I was just looking at the score,” Vassell said. “We were up, like 25, and then the next thing you know, we were only up 17. It was one of those where you know you have the lead, but how quick the NBA can flip. I just wanted to get that lead back going so we could win this game. They were looking for me, so I was gonna keep shooting for sure.”
Spurs post-game
Asked Devin Vassell about getting his career high 37 points in real time…
“…they were looking for me, so I was gonna keep shooting…”
Full answers
#Spurs #GoSpursGo#PorVida pic.twitter.com/0pFjpFpxGz
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) March 5, 2025
For Vassell, it’s welcome production as he works back from his worst stretch of the season.
Devin Vassell cites confidence in improved play for Spurs
The fifth-year Spur preceded his career high with 15 points vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder and 20 at the Memphis Grizzlies to begin March. They were more in line with where’s been for most of his time as a Spur. Last season, he averaged a career high 19.5 points and for his career he’s scored 13.9 per contest.
But from mid-to-late February, Vassell endured games in which he scored seven, eight, six, five and nine points over a seven-game span.
“It’s just a matter of time. Just got to stay confident. I think that’s the biggest thing. Whenever I start missing shots, I might get in my own head,” Vassell admitted.
For the better part of the last three seasons, the 24-year-old has served as the Spurs second leading scorer. With De’Aaron Fox now in the mix, Vassell ranks third in the hierarchy. Through his first four full NBA seasons, the 6-foot-5 guard improved his scoring every year. An integral part of the organization since his second season, which saw him increase his scoring average to 12.3 from 5.5 as a rookie, Vassell has always had the green light for these Spurs.
ClutchPoints asked him if he knew in the moment that a late three-pointer he took vs. the Nets would put the exclamation point on a career night.
“Yeah, for sure,” Vassell said. “They definitely wanted me to get that and I wanted to get it personally myself. But I wasn’t going to force it neither. Once I didn’t make the last two, it’s like it’s alright as long as we win this game, I’m fine with that. And that’s what happened.”
Vassell’s previous career-high came last season on the same day the Spurs broke a franchise record 18-game losing streak. He scored 36 that night vs. a Los Angeles Lakers team led by Lebron James. It turns out it wouldn’t mark the last time a career night for Vassell would coincide with James.
More must-reads:
- Nikola Jokic’s agent sparks LeBron James to Denver speculation with Instagram post
- Bulls sign HC Billy Donovan to multiyear extension
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Report: Suns Turned Down This Offer for First-Round Pick
Remember the 2026 unprotected first-rounder the New Orleans Pelicans sent to the Atlanta Hawks to move up and draft and take Derik Queen 13th overall? Well, the Phoenix Suns were offered the same package and denied it. John Hollinger for The Athletic revealed in a piece analyzing every NBA Summer League disappointment -- which included Phoenix's No. 10 pick Khaman Maluach -- revealed the Suns were offered the same package from New Orleans so they could trade up earlier in the 2025 NBA Draft. "Could the Suns have done what Atlanta did and walked away from the draft with an unprotected future first from the Pelicans and the 23rd pick instead of staying at No. 10?" Hollinger wrote. "Discussion over whether Phoenix fumbled the bag by not taking the New Orleans offer will only heighten if Maluach can’t give the Suns a quality big. "Phoenix opted to take the Duke project, and I’ll emphasize the word “project” here; his was a rough entry to professional basketball. The 7-1 Maluach only posted a 13.5 percent rebound rate, took nearly half his shots from 3 and had one assist in 70 minutes. Watching from courtside made me more concerned about his hands, as contested rebounds and alley-oop opportunities escaped him at times." An enticing offer, for sure, but Maluach was on Phoenix's radar all along. And a few indecent moves in the past may have dissuaded the front office from making another seismic trade like this, despite that unprotected 2026 Pelicans pick having a great chance of becoming AJ Dybantsa. Nonetheless, the Suns stuck to their guns and took Maluach as a potential cornerstone big man for the foreseeable future. Khaman Maluach Evaluation Maluach overcame a lot in his life to make it to the NBA growing up as a South Sudanese refugee. His journey started in the NBA Academy just over four years ago, which is when he first started playing organized basketball. The 7-foot-1, 253-pound big man showed flashes of frontcourt dominance in his lone year at Duke. Maluach averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game with the Blue Devils and, while admittedly being work in progress offensively, he has the defensive intangibles to be incredibly disruptive as a post defender. He's drawn comparisons from the likes of Kristaps Porzingis and Rudy Gobert. An optimistic ceiling, of course, but as I said, he has a lot of room to grow as an 18-year-old who has only been playing basketball since he was 13 years old. Maluach comes to The Valley as a likely backup center to Mark Williams and the big man of the future for new head coach Jordan Ott. Phoenix Suns Latest News
Browns make curious decision with rookie QB Shedeur Sanders
The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it's not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp. Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team. Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he's thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents. "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is," Sanders said to a question as to why he's not getting first-team reps. "There's a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I'm here and I'm thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is." Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him. "It doesn't make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person," Sanders said. "I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance." The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April's draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round. It's curious why the Browns aren't giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should see what Sanders has to offer this summer. Flacco, 40, isn't a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team. Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone's time. But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
Observations from Dallas Cowboys' first padded practice: Tyler Booker handles business, late-round rookie impresses, and more
The Dallas Cowboys got one step closer to regular season form by wearing pads for the first time in training camp. Below are some of the main takeaways from Sunday's practice in Oxnard, California, starting off with a couple of notes on rookies. Jaydon Blue's skills translate with pads on Blue was turning heads early in camp but it's always hard to tell the difference between a tackle or a big play when defenders are essentially playing tag instead of hitting players. Well, Blue looked promising even in pads, with the play below being the highlight of the day as he jukes Markquese Bell to break free for the extra yardage. The fifth-round rookie also showed off his speed as a receiver more than once. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders are seeing the most playing time with the starters but Blue is off to a great start. Tyler Booker stacks highlights vs. Osa Odighizuwa It was a good day for the Cowboys' first-round rookie and projected starting right guard Tyler Booker. The play that stood out the most was a reach block on Osa Odighizuwa that sent the defensive lineman to the ground, opening a hole for Javonte Williams. ln a play-action play, Booker joined forces with center Cooper Beebe to take Odighizuwa out of the play. After a double block sent the defender to the ground, Booker blocked Odighizuwa with fully-extended arms to keep him away from Dak Prescott. Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer said ahead of practice that Booker had hit a bit of a wall leading to him working with the second-team the day before. He sure bounced back. Cowboys showing off a jumbo package Schottenheimer and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams have said the Cowboys will run a physical offense. In short yardage situations, that might mean running six offensive lineman onto the field. Asim Richards and Saahdiq Charles have both been used as a sixth OL/TE at practice. Below is a play where Charles even motions from one side to the OL to the other. The personnel grouping below includes fullback Hunter Luepke leading the way for the running back. Terence Steele participates in pads Earlier in training camp, right tackle Terence Steele suffered an ankle sprain that knocked him out of practice, raising concern for his availability moving forward. That concern is turning out to be short-lived. Steele was back Sunday, a major development for the first practice in pads. However, he didn't participate in team drills. Even so, the Cowboys appear to have dodged a major bullet as the injury was a high ankle sprain, which can be a headache for players. Steele wore tape on his ankle Sunday.
Cardinals Trade Deadline Direction Finally Reportedly Revealed
With just four days to go until the 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline, it sounds like the St. Louis Cardinals have decided which direction they are going to go in. As the deadline has gotten closer, questions have popped up whether the Cardinals are going to buy, sell, or stand pat. Obviously, there aren't many options outside of these three, but everything has seemingly been on the table because the Cardinals are right around .500 and within range of a playoff spot, but also not guaranteed anything. The Cardinals' recent struggles have seemingly confirmed that the club is going to look to sell, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. "The Cardinals are preparing to sell," Rosenthal said. "The (San Francisco Giants), however, plan to buy, seeking a second baseman and starting pitcher. And the Reds are targeting a middle-of-the order bat and bullpen help." The Athletic's Katie Woo reported that the Cardinals have made Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton, and Steven Matz available. "As the St. Louis Cardinals teeter above .500, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has started to field calls regarding many of his players, not just pending free agents," Woo said. "Though the Cardinals have not publicly declared their intent to sell, Mozeliak has reached out to teams to inform them relievers Ryan Helsley, Phil Maton and Steven Matz are available, according to multiple league sources. All three pitchers will be free agents at the end of the season. Reliever JoJo Romero is also drawing interest from rival clubs, though he will not be a free agent until 2027." It doesn't sound like a complete firesale is imminent, but it does seem like St. Louis will look different come August 1st with a few subtractions potentially coming.
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