Why Spurs' Devin Vassell is Ready for 'Big Moments' in First Playoff Berth

A season ago, Vassell and the Spurs limped to the end of the regular season after injuries sidelined both Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox — the former with deep vein thrombosis and the latter with ligament damage in his left pinkie from training camp.

Mustering 34 wins almost seemed like a victory in and of itself, but with each one they captured, it gave them reason to look toward the future.

"The standards are the same," Vassell said last March, amid a rare three-game win streak. "We've got to keep being competitive. We're playing every game to win."

Having signed a five-year, $135 million contract over the offseason, Vassell felt the need to improve to the level of his heightened expectations. For hours at a time this summer, the shooting guard worked on his midrange shot, his fly-bys and his screen evasion.

He's welcomed a new audience member this year. One with a notebook.

"Every day after practice, I sit there and watch him shoot for 15-20 minutes," Spurs rookie Carter Bryant said of Vassell. "As much as he's my teammate, he's one of my favorite players to watch. He's electric when he gets hot."

As Bryant watches, he sees his own growth in that of his teammate. He spent long hours unsure if his work was going to pay off. And with a rotation spot in the playoffs secured, he's ready to test his theory. But not before consulting the example he often studies.

"(Vassell) is one of the few guys on this team who has been here for an extended amount of time," Bryant said. "I'm sure he's going to be as dialed in as anyone. I think he's going to have a great postseason. He works too hard to let himself down."

Vassell's statistics back up his progress. While he finished Year 6 averaging the second-lowest shot attempts of his career (11.3), and lowest since Wembanyama's arrival, he maintained similar efficiency from the floor and the best efficiency of his career from 3.

Through 67 appearances, Vassell averaged 13.9 points, four rebounds and 2.5 assists on 44 percent shooting in 30.5 minutes per game — also the fewest since Wembanyama.

"He's the one guy on our team who can float back and forth between shooter and scorer," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "That's very valuable, especially as we expect defenses to tighten up and game plans to become more thorough. He'll be a vital part."

The 25-year-old's intentional backseat hasn't diminished his offensive potential.

"Devin ... can average 20, easily," Bryant said. "He can be a 25-point-per-game guy. He scores the ball so effortlessly. He sacrifices his role for the greater good of this team, and it's amazing to see him go out and have scoring outbursts."

Added Stephon Castle: "He's been super important for us. Super consistent ... if we can get this kind of Devin day-in and day-out, it's going to be hard for teams to beat us."

The Spurs have yet to find out who they'll face in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Tuesday evening, the Portland Trail Blazers will face the Phoenix Suns on the road in the Play-In Tournament, with the winner securing the No. 7 seed and a series in San Antonio. Frost Bank Center's home team is expecting it to be at its loudest.

"When I came to San Antonio, they always talked about what it was like when Manu (Ginóbili), Tim (Duncan) and Tony (Parker) were here," Vassell said, recalling his early days in the NBA. "It feels like we're bringing that energy back."

Leading the charge for the Spurs will be Wembanyama, Castle and Fox. Vassell, as he's done all season, will follow suit. But he isn't any less dangerous.

"We're going to be able to lean on him a ton," Bryant said. "Everybody knows it."

As Vassell's black Ferrari drove away Monday afternoon, playoffs were on his mind. In six seasons, he's never had the chance to anticipate what they might feel like.

A day spent visiting fans after a grueling 83-game season finally gave him that chance.

"I haven't been to the playoffs, ever," Vassell began, "but I feel like my game translates a lot for big moments. I'm excited for that. I've been in the gym all year, all summer. I'm just trusting that work and getting ready for when my number is called."